Destiny Diverted
by Casa Circe
Summary: LOTR/Avatar Crossover. Zuko and Katara are plunged into Middle-earth for an adventure that will change their lives forever.
1. Prologue

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Here it is, my crazy Zutara/LOTR crossover posted on a very special day (at least for me). I'm using Peter Jackson's movies as references for this. Don't get me wrong, I read the books and loved them. But the events there are more complicated and I can never aspire to write as well as J.R.R. Tolkien. So I'm using the movies, just **_**The Two Towers **_**and **_**The Return of the King.**_

**Just some notes for chronology. This starts from "The Guru" in Book 2 of Avatar, and somewhere in the middle of **_**The Two Towers, **_**when Aragorn and the others are in Helm's Deep waiting to be attacked and when Gandalf goes off to find help.**

**Hope you like this crazy, funny, whimsical little crossover!**

**PROLOGUE**

Business was booming at the Jasmine Dragon on its grand opening day in the bustling Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se. The place was abuzz with the seemingly endless flow of customers from all over the world and all the employees had their hands full trying to accommodate all the orders.

Among those attracted to the newest tea house in town were two visitors of the Avatar's company, and they were both eager to take a well-deserved break from their mission of saving the world.

"What do you say, Momo?" Katara asked her furry companion, "a cup of tea before we get back to the king?"

But as Katara and Momo waited to be seated, they were distracted by the arrival of a mysterious stranger. No longer glancing inside the tea house, the waterbender and lemur were suddenly fascinated by what seemed to be a regular old man who was also entering the establishment.

Although an elderly man, he walked tall and straight, not hampered by any rheumatism or infirmity, and he had an aura of power and wisdom about him which was not tangible but hard to ignore. He had long white hair and a beard and carried with him a long staff that looked like more than just a walking stick. And even if he wore a heavy cloak around him, and looked like he had been traveling for many days, he still seemed strong.

He seemed to sense that they were staring at him and so he turned to glance at Katara and Momo. The two looked away in embarrassment at being caught, so they missed the enigmatic twinkle that came to his eye when he looked at them. A great thought seemed to occur to him at that moment, an opportunity not to be missed.

In spite of his mystique, Katara did not think that he was dangerous. She decided to be friendly and approached him, apologizing for being so rude.

He smiled affably at them and laughed heartily, immediately putting Katara at ease with him.

"It is of no consequence," he reassured her, "I was wondering what you found interesting in a weary old traveler such as myself."

"We've been traveling too," she replied, "I'm from the South Pole and Momo here came all the way from the Southern Air Temple."

"Indeed?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

"If you don't mind my asking, sir," she asked, "where do you come from? We've never seen anyone like you in all our travels, and we've been quite around the world lately."

"Oh, you have not journeyed quite as far as I have, I'm afraid," the old man replied, "I come from a very, very distant land, indeed."

Before Katara could clarify this statement, a waiter came by to lead them to their tables. The stranger was given very polite treatment since he seemed to be an acquaintance of the owner. The old man invited Katara and Momo to join him at the table, hopefully to continue their conversation.

Still fascinated by the stranger and feeling at ease in his company, Katara decided to accept this offer. She was also eager to learn more about this mysterious old man, who seemed like a friend of the Jasmine Dragon's proprietor.

They were led to their table and were told that the owner would soon come to meet them. In the meantime, his nephew would come to serve them.

Katara and Momo settled down and introduced themselves to their new companion. He, in turn, gave his name.

"I have been called by many names," he began mysteriously, "but the one I am most fond of is Gandalf."

"Gandalf," Katara repeated, trying the name on her tongue.

He smiled at her.

"A strange name," he told her, "for a stranger from a distant land."

"Good day and welcome to the Jasmine Dragon," a voice chimed in, "my uncle sent me here to…"

The young man fell silent as soon as he laid eyes on Gandalf's companion. Katara likewise stiffened with shock and recognition. Gandalf observed this exchange most carefully, and seemed to understand a great deal.

"What are you doing here?" Katara was the first to speak although Zuko undoubtedly was about to ask the same question.

Recollecting himself, the young firebender immediately bent his head and pleaded with her not to make a scene.

"Please," he whispered, "uncle and I are starting a new life here. Please don't blow our cover, we aren't chasing the Avatar anymore."

"How can I believe that?" Katara asked with a frown, "after all you've done, how can I trust you?"

Zuko had no answer to this. But Katara realized something and looked towards Gandalf.

"You say you know his uncle," she muttered angrily, "you must be from the Fire Nation too. You are an enemy."

"I am not from the Fire Nation," Gandalf replied calmly, "and I have merely stopped here to rest before I continue my journey."

"He's right," another person spoke and they all looked up to see Iroh approaching them, "he is but an old friend of mine."

Katara looked from one to the other, not knowing how to react.

"I know what you must think of us, Ms. Waterbender," Iroh told her quickly, "but my nephew is telling the truth and we really mean you no harm. For you see, both of us have been branded as traitors of the Fire Nation, and so we too are in hiding."

Katara stared hard at him for a moment, and Gandalf continued to observe them carefully.

"I fear this is not the right venue for such a discussion," Iroh told them, "let us all transfer to one of the private function rooms."

Gandalf stood quietly and Zuko made to follow. Iroh pleaded with Katara to follow. She glared skeptically, and yet her instincts were telling her to follow.

"Do you think we should trust them?" she whispered to the lemur on her shoulder.

Momo chirped encouragingly in her ear, and she decided to trust the creature's instincts.

They entered a small, private function room, away from the rest of the crowd in the tea house. There, Iroh and Zuko proceeded to try and convince Katara of their situation and the change that had come over Zuko since they had last crossed paths.

Katara remained skeptical of the whole story although she seemed to consider all their words carefully. Gandalf sat on one side, sipping a cup of tea, listening and watching all that transpired.

"And please do not blame my old friend Gandalf for anything," Iroh pleaded, "he is not from our world, and he no doubt has some important mission to accomplish here. We are simply acquainted because of a certain… association we both belong to."

At this, Gandalf brought out a small item that he had hidden in his cloak, a Pai Sho tile.

"The white lotus!" Zuko cried in recognition.

Iroh and Gandalf nodded while Katara remained puzzled.

"But it has been many years since I have last seen him," Iroh explained, "in fact, our last meeting was long before either of you were even born."

"I believe it is time I introduced myself more properly," the old man said, after this.

"I am Gandalf the Grey, and I have come here from the world of Middle-Earth," he began, "which is currently in great turmoil, embroiled in a war far more sinister that which you have here."

They all listened intently to this account.

"But there is no time to go into detail, I must hurry," Gandalf spoke then, with a sudden urgency, "a portal was opened from Middle-Earth to your world, and this portal shall soon reappear. I have been journeying for many days, in search of help for my friends who need all the defenses they can get, for they are soon to be attacked by a force larger than any yet assembled, a force that might destroy them all if they stand alone.

And powers greater than mine have sent me here, instructing me to find two great warriors, who are destined to fight together, to come to the aid of my friends back home. Only two am I allowed to bring back with me to join the battle, and only two may leave and return to this world safely."

They all listened in astonishment to all his words, and amazing though the story seemed, they believed him. He spoke with an authority that could not be doubted or questioned.

Iroh looked at Gandalf knowingly, a silent communication occurring between them.

"I know now who the two warriors are," Gandalf announced gravely, looking from Zuko to Katara, "and so we must make haste back to Middle-Earth to help my friends save their world."

The two chosen ones gaped and stared incredulously at him, although he was clearly serious about the whole matter.

"That's impossible," Katara cried out as Zuko pondered on the mission silently, "I have to stay here, to help in the invasion plans, to support Aang."

"And so you shall," Gandalf explained, "but a greater power has summoned you and Zuko to help another world be saved from utter destruction. Your work here is admirable, but you have been called to a place where you are more needed."

"But.." Katara continued to protest.

"I understand your concern," Gandalf assured her, "but everything here is already in order, and the Avatar is on his way to fulfilling his destiny. And I assure you, that you shall be here again to support him when that crucial moment comes. But for now, there are people, strangers they may be, but people who desperately need you. Are you going to turn your back to them?"

The last statement banished hesitation from Katara's mind. The only slight doubt that remained was knowing that she would have to fight side by side – with Zuko.

Gandalf turned to the pensive young firebender and addressed him.

"You've recently realized that you make your own destiny," the old man said, "and this is a chance for you to mark a path of your own, to use your powers to help others instead of just yourself. This is also your opportunity to prove how much you have grown and changed from all your struggles. I implore you to take it."

"How do you know so much about me?" Zuko asked carefully and suspiciously.

"It is a long story," Iroh replied, "one we have no time for."

But Zuko already seemed half convinced to go.

For at that moment a great light appeared before them, a portal into another world. Gandalf nodded to Iroh.

"We must make haste," the old man urged them, "the portal shall close soon."

"Don't worry about me, Zuko," Iroh re-assured his nephew, "I'll manage here on my own. This is a journey you both need to take, even if you don't understand it all yet. I don't even understand it all but I trust that Gandalf knows what he is doing."

The older firebender turned to Katara. Momo had moved from her shoulder to Iroh's, showing how much the lemur trusted the other man.

"And don't worry about your brother and friends," Iroh told her, "I will make sure to explain to them as best as I can. And you will be back to help save our world before you know it."

Katara and Zuko looked uncertainly at Iroh and then at each other and then at Gandalf.

But as confused as they both felt, something inside was telling them that they had no choice. Everything was happening so fast and yet a nameless force was pushing them forward.

"Come," Gandalf called, "and place your hands on my staff. I shall tell you more once we arrive in Middle-Earth. For now, we must make haste."

The walking stick seemed to take a life of its own, glowing with a powerful bright light. Iroh and Momo waved at them encouragingly.

"I thank you for your hospitality, old friend," Gandalf told Iroh as he, Zuko, and Katara were engulfed in the light, "and I assure you that these two shall return safely at the appointed time."


	2. Chapter 1: The Ride to Rohan

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: Forgive the delay. Needless to say, I've been busy. But I am delighted that there are those who have shown interest in this crazy story.**

**As I mentioned, I'm using the movies as references, for as much as I love Tolkien's work, I am not as well-versed in Middle-Earth lore as I would like to be. And I'm trying to keep this story less academic. Although I do have the book beside me as I write, maybe to serve as inspiration and to try and give me some words when I am at a loss.**

**It's also a bit difficult to shift from perspectives but just trust that **_**most **_**of the time, the story shall be from Zuko and Katara's perspective. It's too difficult to have to write all the characters of LOTR.**

**Just enjoy the journey, I guess. After all, it's a whimsical plot, at best.**

**CHAPTER ONE**

They rode fast and hard upon the steeds Gandalf had provided them when they had first arrived in Middle-Earth through the strange portal. Zuko and Katara were both unaccustomed to riding horses but the creatures were used to having riders and carried them with ease and expertise. The two benders had only to hold on tight as they traveled across the vast plains of Middle-Earth.

The moment the two benders had set foot on that strange land, any lingering doubts they had about the mysterious old man dissipated. They instinctively knew that they were in a different world. And it helped that both of them had traveled extensively around their own world to be able to know that they were somewhere else.

There had been little time to explain the entire situation to them when they had first arrived. The old wizard seemed to have some more urgent business to attend to and apologized about not being able to accompany them to their destination. Apparently, he still needed to gather more reinforcements for the battle ahead although he was glad that he would be able to send the two benders to help while he continued his search.

Gandalf assured them that the horses would take them safely to where they needed to go. He told them that as soon as they met his other friends, more would be explained to them about what they had gotten themselves involved in.

He handed them each a note to present to the people they would meet. One was to be shown first to a man called Aragorn, while the other was to be given to a king, Theoden.

"I am sorry that I cannot acquaint you both with the complexity of the circumstances," the wizard told them gravely, "there is so much even I do not understand about it."

Zuko and Katara looked at each other in puzzlement. But the wizard quickly snapped out of his reverie.

"For now the least you need to know is this," Gandalf continued in a more urgent tone, "you have arrived in Rohan, home of the horse-lords, a country in the midst of a terrible war. You are, no doubt, familiar with such circumstances."

The two benders nodded and listened attentively.

"The king has taken his people to the ancient refuge of Helm's Deep," Gandalf told them, "where he believes he leads them to safety. But formidable fortress though that is, even greater than Ba Sing Se, it may not stand a chance against the might of the dark host that is coming."

"We shall do everything we can to help," Katara reassured him.

"The defenses must hold until I return," Gandalf warned them.

"They will as long as we stand and breathe," Zuko said.

Gandalf sighed with relief. Already the two were showing a conviction to their purpose that was exceeding his expectations. All the better.

"You shall be able to use your bending even here in Middle-Earth," Gandalf explained, "but I would advise you to reserve your strength for the battles that lie ahead. I shall protect you as much as I can, however, for a shadow hangs above this very land, one that not even the greatest of benders can defeat.

They looked at him apprehensively. A fear had settled on their hearts as he spoke and both only seemed to realize that the darkness that was slowly engulfing this land was worse than any they had ever encountered in their own world. It was a frightening thought, to say the least.

"You will have to trust one another in this journey," Gandalf instructed them, "and cast aside any differences you might have had before coming here. I have tarried too long. Ride to Helm's Deep and I wish you well!"

With these words, the old man rode off on his steed, Shadowfax, and within moments he was far away from them. They watched him in awe, wondering at the strength and energy of one who was surely old indeed.

Zuko remembered his Uncle while Katara recalled her waterbending master, Pakku, and crazy King Bumi of Omashu. Silently, both wondered if they would ever be as strong when they reached ripe old age.

But there was no time to dilly-dally. The horses neighed, as if to remind them to make haste. They looked at each other uncertainly.

But both were well aware that whatever doubts they had about each other, it was time to shed these now. In a different world, away from all that they knew, they had only each other to depend on to survive. Zuko was more willing to trust Katara. She looked at him with slight hesitation yet decided to take her chances with him. She had no choice.

They rode forward and fast, hoping that they would not encounter anything untoward before they reached their destination.

Fortunately, Gandalf had used some of his power to protect them as they traveled. Zuko and Katara did not know it but the light of the White Wizard shielded them from the shadow that insidiously crept across the land. They passed hidden and temporarily unnoticed by Saruman as they made their way to the ancient refuge.

They spoke little to each other as they traveled although both were growing more and more curious about the other as they went on, Katara especially. She was unaccustomed to travel in such quiet company and there really was something different about Zuko since the last time they had seen each other.

Exactly how much had he changed and what had prompted such a transformation? There was so much she wanted to know, but she had not the courage to pursue such questions. Not yet.

Now that she had the opportunity to dwell on the situation, she realized that for all the time that she knew of Prince Zuko, there was so little she really knew about him.

The same went for him, though he was easily silent about this. He had also been pondering the strange direction his destiny had taken ever since he had decided to forge a path of his own. He wondered what lay ahead of them and questioned why, of all people, Katara was to be his companion?

He realized that he was not too averse to her company, and he was surprised that she seemed to trust him easily in spite of all he had done to her and her friends in the past. She looked at him kindly, whenever he caught her looking at him, although she would quickly look away in slight embarrassment. He felt comforted by her trust.

But they were civil to each other all throughout, and were little by little learning more about the other. They both agreed that they had no idea what to expect once they arrived but only hoped they would be welcomed in spite of their sudden and strange appearance.

They were both determined to do as much as they could to help Gandalf and all the people in need in the new world. Besides, whatever they would do would also serve as much needed battle practice, which was always useful. If they could emerge stronger out of this experience, then it would truly be a profitable one.

"What do you see?" the heir of Gondor asked of his Elven comrade, whose keen eyes were directed towards the horizon. Aragorn saw that his friend was gazing intently into the distance. Aragorn had only just arrived and warned the king of the great numbers of their enemy.

Were the forces of Isengard upon them already?

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, son of Gloin, stood together on the ramparts of Helm's Deep, preparing for the battle they all knew would come, Saruman's forces coming forth from the darkness of the mountains.

"Two are approaching, beings I have never before seen in my long life," the Elf replied in calm puzzlement, "they are from the race of Men, and yet, hold a power that no man in this world has ever yielded."

"Are they minions of Saruman?" Gimli asked in concern.

"It does not seem so," Legolas shook his head and both Aragorn and Gimli sighed with relief.

"They are covered in a bright light, one that banishes the shadows," Legolas continues, "I believe Gandalf has sent them to aid us."

"In that case, we must welcome them ourselves," Aragorn said.

Helm's Deep was certainly grander than Ba Sing Se, and as the two horses stopped in front of the gates, Zuko and Katara knew that they had reached their destination. It was heavily guarded by large men in heavy armor and these guards looked down at them suspiciously.

"Well, what do we do now?" Katara asked Zuko, her hand at her gourd.

"We look for this Aragorn fellow or at least mention Gandalf's name," Zuko answered.

But they did not wait long for a welcome. Soon they noticed that three figures had approached them from outside the gate. Instinctively, the benders moved closer to each other, almost back to back, ready to fight if it was necessary. But they were also curious as to what kind of people they would meet in this new world. The two parties observed each other carefully.

There was a short, stocky, bearded fellow, who had a great axe on his side. The other was a tall, slender, pale young man with long, flowing fair hair, strangely long ears, and a certain mystique about him. And the other was a bearded man with long hair and a weather-beaten face, and yet an air of majesty about him that Zuko immediately recognized.

Meanwhile, the benders were also being considered. The two were younger than Legolas had expected and seemed almost like children compared to the three companions. But there was no ill-will in their eyes, one pair blue as the ocean and the other golden as the sunlight.

"Greetings, travelers," the tall, bearded man spoke, "what brings foreigners so far to seek refuge in Helm's Deep?" 

"Gandalf has sent us," Zuko spoke, "we come to help in the fighting and to hold the defenses of this fortress."

"We have a message from him," Katara added, "one for someone called Aragorn, and another for King Theoden. Could you take us to them please?"

The three companions looked at each other before answering, considering the words of the strangers. But Aragorn and Legolas felt no negative energy coming from the two and they knew that Gandalf's name was not one to be used so lightly.

"I am Aragorn," the man introduced himself, "and this is Legolas Greenleaf and Gimli, Son of Gloin. We are friends of Gandalf and so we welcome you as friends as well. Have no fear."

Zuko and Katara sighed with relief and dropped their guard. Again, they were following their instincts and somehow felt that these three were definitely to be trusted. Recollecting themselves, they gave their names as well.

"I am Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," the waterbender began, "and this is Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

"Just Zuko," the firebender corrected, much to Katara's surprise, "I've been banished. It's a long story."

Aragorn looked at the young man with interest and a feeling of affinity. He also sensed that the large scar on the stranger's face had something to do with all of this. But he would have to wait to find out.

"Well, how this whole war came about also is a long story," Gimli told them with a friendly grin.

"A _very _long story, indeed," Legolas added with a grave smile. Somehow, Zuko and Katara felt at ease with these three, even if they had only just met.

Katara was also still wondering about Zuko's incredible introduction of himself. More and more was she beginning to see him in a different light, and this humility had taken her very much by surprise. And although she knew parts of his long story, she suddenly found herself eager to know more.

"Hopefully we will have time for it later," Aragorn told them, "for now, welcome, Zuko and Katara to Helm's Deep. We shall take you to the king. There is no time to waste."

As the two newcomers were taken through the labyrinthine passages of the fortress, they marveled at its grand and imposing structure, one that rivaled Ba Sing Se herself. But this fortress seemed to them far older, and far stronger.

"And to think that all this was built with no earthbending," Katara said in astonishment, as she looked about her, "these people must have some sort of power that has helped them survive."

"I think even just the will to live would be enough to strengthen anyone," Zuko replied. He too was amazed at all that he was seeing but there was something else that weighed on his mind the more he considered the circumstances.

"What worries me," he whispered to Katara (who was surprised at his confiding in her), "is that even if these people have such a great and sturdy fortress, Gandalf believes that the defenses might not hold. That he would still seek out reinforcements for such a place as this worries me further. Why should they be unable to defend themselves?"

Katara looked at him with concern. He really seemed to be giving serious thought to their circumstances and she agreed with his assessment.

They shuddered to imagine what kind of enemy was coming that had the power to shake such a rich country, to break a seemingly impenetrable fortress.

But Katara would not let fear claim her. She put a hand reassuringly on Zuko's shoulder.

"But we've come here help, haven't we?" she told him, "and we'll make sure everyone here is safe."

He looked at her in surprise but nodded, relieved at her positive outlook. She had somehow pulled him out of the shadows.

Later on, when all the introductions and necessary explanations were given, at least from Zuko and Katara's part, the king considered them carefully. He did not know how much these two people could contribute to their defenses but he trusted them. Even if they were foreigners, they did not seem to be spies of the enemy. And Theoden was not so foolish as to refuse any help that arrived. After all, Gandalf would not have sent these two to help if they were incapable of significantly doing so.

Zuko and Katara were relieved to be welcomed in the presence of the people of Rohan. They discovered that Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli were not from that country and had another greater mission to fulfill. But the details weren't clear to them yet. There was so much to be acquainted with and all the new information threatened to overwhelm them more than any of the battles they had been involved with.

But they struggled to make sense of it all, and also to remember the names of the people they met in the fortress. Zuko was eager to speak more with Aragorn who was revealed to be the heir to the throne of a kingdom of men, but who had spent a lot of his life as a wandering Ranger. Katara, for her part, was glad to meet the king's nephew, Eowyn, a shield maiden of Rohan. There weren't a lot of women with position in Helm's Deep, and Katara admired how Eowyn was also trained for battle.

And Katara noticed the glances Eowyn threw at Aragorn every now and then. The waterbender suspected she would have something interesting to observe while not in battle, although Katara also noted that the tall man did not seem to return the feelings of the other.

But Eowyn had been given the task of minding the women and children and it upset her that she should not be able to join in the fighting. Katara felt for her.

There was so much to talk about, to explain, and to understand about what was happening. And yet, the time was severely limited. Aragorn did his best to explain all as simply as he could, to at least prepare them for the fight ahead.

The benders were trying to figure out what role they could play in a seemingly formidable battle, and what exactly they would be up against.

The benders listened as Aragorn and the others explained the nature of their enemies and of the war. Apparently, they would be fighting against hideous beings that were not quite human and whose name both found difficult to pronounce. But these creatures would come in numbers far greater than theirs and would surely bring enough dangerous weapons to try and destroy the fortress, which also sheltered women and children.

As the discussions wore on, an inevitable question was raised by Theoden, the answer to which all were eager to know.

"If I may ask," the good king began, "what powers do you two possess that make you such formidable warriors in your world?" 

Zuko and Katara looked at each other knowingly, and though they still weren't such close friends, there was an air of complicity between them. It was time to show what they could do.

Before anything, they needed to give their new friends a short background of the world they came from and of the Four Nations that comprised it. They briefly and simply explained the concept of bending elements to the eagerly listening Aragorn and the others.

Theoden and his court were amazed and impressed at what they heard, although some were still skeptical.

"Admirable powers indeed," Aragorn praised the two benders, "and not to be taken lightly."

But Zuko and Katara could see that the others were still dubious about their claims so the two benders decided to give a short demonstration.

Clearing some space between them, Zuko and Katara began to show their powers.

First, Katara opened the gourd of water that never left her side and began to bend it into various forms. But she saw that even the mere control of the water was already amazing to the eyes of her audience. She began to bend the water into her favorite weapons, a water whip, and frozen blades.

"This is but a small part of what I can do with a little amount of water," she explained, "but if I have access to more, then, I can put up a greater fight."

This offer was considered greatly and the others were glad to inform her that there were sources of water within and around Helm's Deep, from the bottom drains and the moat-like enclosure at the base. She was free to use this to fight, if necessary.

Katara also explained that she had healing powers, a feat which impressed the others further and which would prove to be most helpful.

"If the fighting gets very difficult," Aragorn advised, "we might have to pull you out to tend to the wounded."

"I will do everything I can to save them," Katara promised.

After impressing the king and his companions, Katara stepped aside and it was Zuko's turn to exhibit his talent. Taking a deep breath, the firebender summoned a small flame to his hand and played around with it for a few moments. The fact that he had created his own fire already elicited gasps from the others and so the young prince proceeded to a demonstration of the various forms he could make with his fire (although he limited his display to small-scale ones that would not frighten the people around him.)

"And can you handle a sword?" King Theoden asked of the firebender.

Zuko nodded with a smile and described the kind of blades he was accustomed to fighting with. It was an unusual style of combat but there was an extensive armory in the fortress. Zuko was assured that he would find weapons similar to what he was used to once he surveyed those available.

Again, the denizens of the Deep were impressed by such power, and all of them were relieved to have two such allies to strengthen their defenses. They knew not what horrors Saruman would send to destroy them and so were thankful for this unexpected aid.

But the hours were passing quickly, and so much more needed to be organized. Trusting in the new arrivals, Theoden left them in the care of Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli while he continued readying his soldiers for the coming attack.

As the final preparations were made in haste, and all able-bodied men were sent to the armory, Zuko and Katara further realized the gravity of the situation. They saw the kind of men who were being given weapons, who were being asked to fight. At one point, Aragorn and Legolas seemed to have some sort of disagreement and both spoke quickly in a foreign tongue. Zuko could guess what they were arguing about.

Having heard that they would be up against an army of ten thousand ruthless, bloodthirsty monsters, the two benders grew very worried indeed. These people were not their people, and yet the two strangers felt their pain, and were just as determined to protect them from the coming horrors.

During the preparation, Katara watched carefully as Zuko practiced with the swords he found in the armory. They were not exactly those he always used but these were the closes blades he could dig up that suited his style. He was serious as ever, and yet not the same angry, obsessed young prince who had been chasing the Avatar. But he was still focused and disciplined, determined to achieve his goal. And she found that she admired that in him, and that it was something they shared in common.

"Wow," she told him, "you don't seem at all daunted by what we're up against. I'm scared to death."

"Are you kidding?" he replied, sheathing his swords, "I'm terrified. I just figured that it won't do to show them how bothered we are about this. They're all just as scared as we are."

"You're right," Katara answered, "we need to boost their morale as much as we can."

He nodded. They were speaking to each other more frequently now, and he found he enjoyed their conversations, even if he would never have imagined things to turn out that way several weeks ago.

"I never thought I'd be saying this to you," Katara said with a small smile, "but this situation is one I could never have expected. Zuko, no matter what kind of monsters we have to face come nightfall, I want you to remember that we're in this together."


	3. Chapter 2: Helm's Deep

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: There are some action sequences (hopefully convincing ones) here.**

**Thanks for the reviews of the previous chapter. I apologize for the fast pace of the story. It's deliberate, and this story is fast paced for several reasons:**

**I have no time/creativity to make a really long, fully fleshed out crossover story so I'm limiting this one to a prologue, ten chapters, and an epilogue**

**I'm trying to keep it short so it won't be boring**

**I really, really, want to finish this before the "Last Airbender" movie comes out… so I can't afford to have too many chapters**

**As some of you already know, I'm in my last year in university and I'm trying to keep my grades as decent as I possibly can so I won't have much energy/time to devote to fan fiction writing**

**Given the limits, I still want to cover at least the major battles starting from Helm's Deep until the end of "The Return of the King" so I'll be skipping some parts (for instance, they aren't going to meet Frodo and Sam until the end)**

**Hope you forgive the weirdness of these excuses. Like I keep saying, this was a whimsical idea but I really wanted to make a crossover.**

**As some of you may know, I am not so great at fight scenes and fight terminologies and all that, so I hope you can somehow imagine the scenes given my limited powers of description.**

**A bit long, but hopefully not boring. Enjoy.**

**CHAPTER TWO**

As the shroud of night began to cover the land, a growing sense of dread filled the hearts of all those at the Deep.

Everyone waited with baited breath for the enemy's approach, and the earth trembled as if to announce their coming in great numbers. Saruman's army of Uruk-Hai. The very name off the foes they were about to face struck fear in Katara's heart.

And yet, in spite of all their trepidation about the coming battle, they were not completely in despair. The arrival of the two benders and the impressive exhibition they gave of their unique powers was enough to make Aragorn feel less hopeless about the situation. The heir of Gondor understood better than the king of Rohan that these two new additions would be of great help to them, even if their origins were quite dubious. Gandalf would not have sent them if they were not trustworthy.

And fortunately, just moments ago, a retinue of Elven archers, led by Haldir of Lorien, had arrived to help and to honor the ancient allegiance. Zuko and Katara had been further amazed by these new beings, so different from the people of Rohan and from any other people they had ever met. The radiance and beauty of the archers made the two benders awestruck in their presence.

The Elves were likewise intrigued by the two newcomers, especially considering how long they had been around Middle-Earth. Haldir expressed that he had never before encountered beings with the powers to control the elements, and he hoped he would have the opportunity to learn more about them after the battle.

For all this preparation and unexpected aid, Aragorn still hoped that Gandalf would bring more help to them when he returned. The wise wizard always had a way of resolving even the most complicated of circumstances.

King Theoden was nervous but also slightly comforted by the presence of strangers who were willing to fight by his side. Their arrival was all the more welcomed because it was so unexpected. He realized that there were still those allies who would come to them in the hour of greatest need.

There was one matter that perplexed both Katara and Zuko greatly as they waited for the battle to begin and after surveying their surroundings carefully.

"Why didn't Gandalf bring an earthbender along?" they both asked aloud.

They looked at each other in surprise and shrugged.

"Any skilled enough earthbender would have been a great help in a battle such as this," Katara said, "and if we had Toph with us, there would be no doubt of success. I know why he didn't bring Aang, of course, the Avatar is busy trying to save our world."

"It is curious though," Zuko added, "considering Gandalf dropped by in Ba Sing Se of all places, the stronghold of some of the best earthbenders in the world."

"Hmm…" both hummed pensively before shrugging with amused resignation. 

"I suppose he had his own reasons for choosing us instead," Zuko said, "we are pretty good at bending our elements after all."

A mischievous idea occurring to her, Katara said with a grin, "I guess we'll just have to see who turns out to be the more useful bender in this battle."

Zuko saw the glint of daring in her eyes and recognized a challenge when he saw one. He smiled at her smugly and folded his arms.

"I don't doubt you'll be useful as a healer of the wounded," he told her slyly, "but in a battle as large scale as this one, there's not much even you can do with some murky moat water and your gourd."

Katara frowned and was about to retort when something eliminated the need for her to do so. For at that moment, it had begun to rain. Katara simply raised an eyebrow at the astonished Zuko. He huffed and looked away embarrassedly.

"And don't forget that the moon's out tonight as well," she reminded him slyly, "you don't have to worry about me."

But as thunder crashed and lightning struck the sky, Zuko looked at her with a renewed energy. Her eyes widened at this.

"What?" he asked, "did you think that Azula is the only one who can bend lightning? Uncle taught me a few useful tricks while we were wandering around the Earth Kingdom, you know."

He didn't mention that he hadn't been able to successfully redirect lightning yet. She didn't need to know that.

Their banter was interrupted by the arrival of Gimli and Legolas, who were preparing to compete with one another as well.

"I see you both are in good spirits," the Elf commented, "I hope you can keep that disposition in the coming hours."

"It's going to be a long night for us all," the Dwarf added, "you can count on that. Let's just hope our luck lasts the night."

Resuming their seriousness, Katara and Zuko nodded to their new friends and watched as the enemy approached them. It was a vast and formidable army, of hideous, beast-like beings neither bender could have ever imagined. The creatures roared and marched menacingly towards the outer wall and Katara felt herself tremble in fright, even if there was water all around them. Unconsciously, she moved closer to Zuko as she watched the ugly soldiers draw near.

Aragorn was shouting words of encouragement in a foreign tongue to the Elvish archers. Zuko tried his best to draw strength from the message he knew even if he could not understand the words.

The Ranger raised his sword and the archers readied their bows as they listened to the Uruk-hai roaring and pounding on their armor. Zuko and Katara followed suit, both getting into their stances, ready to summon their elements at the signal.

A nervous archer clumsily let go of his arrow and one of the foul beasts fell dead on the ground. The fuse was lit.

"So it begins," muttered Theoden gravely.

The archers began to release their arrows swiftly and silently and already the enemies' front lines were being decimated. Blades and arrows rained upon the vicious orcs as they ran towards the sturdy walls of the fortress.

"Fire!" all the leaders cried out to their men.

"My pleasure," Zuko muttered under his breath, very fervently complying with the order. Feeling his power surge within him, he summoned the flames to his hands and his golden eyes glowed bright with the excitement of battle.

Katara for her part created a huge dome of water from the rain and then began launching frozen darts at the orcs, also effectively bringing them down. Once the orcs gathered enough presence of mind to start counter-attacking, Katara would shift between launching sharp icicles and building a frozen barrier that protected the Elvish archers from the arrows of the orcs.

Zuko would alternate between instantly igniting much of the archer's arrows and launching small but powerful fire blasts at the orcs who were able to advance closer to the walls. These attacks caused minor explosions that not only handicapped the enemies but also frightened them. They had never encountered such powerful adversaries and could not quite believe that all those deadly attacks were coming from only two people.

Even the soldiers at Helm's Deep were somehow awestruck by the power wielded by the two benders and Aragorn had to call their attention so that they could focus on the task at hand.

Zuko and Katara decided to split up so that they could cover more parts of the wall that were being approached by the hordes of beastly orcs. They decided not only to compete with each other but to be more effective in spreading their powers around to help protect more parts of the wall. They put themselves in strategic positions so as to maximize their powers and cause more damage on the orcish army.

Many of the other orcs fled before the blasts of fire and darts of ice which were being flung at them. They knew not what kind of sorcery was afoot and they were terrified by this unusual power. Nothing had prepared them for such opponents and though they tried to launch their spears and arrows at the benders, they could not succeed.

So all around the outer walls of Helm's Deep icicles were being launched and walls of ice being instantly built. Fire balls were raining down upon the orcs as well as instantly ignited arrows. Zuko and Katara did not have enough power to completely overwhelm their enemies but their presence still made an impact.

Aside from the tangible contributions the benders made to the fight, their power and their presence also boosted the morale of their comrades, especially the frightened men of Rohan, who saw hope in the fight and who were more motivated to defend their people.

"We may be outnumbered," Zuko thought, remembering an old battle with his uncle, "but they are clearly outmatched."

And with that he threw another fire ball at an unsuspecting group of orcs. Some were burned and other fled in horror from the deadly explosion.

For a while, the orcs were hard-pressed to approach the wall, they soon found other ways. Long ladders were placed on the ground and then pushed against the wall, ladders filled with eager orcs, ready to climb up and slay the defenders of the fortress.

"Oh no you don't!" Katara cried out as she sent a sharp wave of ice, cutting down most of the ladders on her side. But it was becoming more and more difficult to keep up with them. It was taking all she had to keep sending sharp icicles down while slashing through ladders. She was glad that the rain had not slackened and the moon still glowed bright above her. Otherwise, she wasn't sure where she would draw the strength to continue.

In another part of the wall, Zuko was successfully able to burn the ladders that were placed near him. He sent down several blazing ladders that smashed down on the hapless orcs.

But their efforts were not enough and all those standing on the edge of the wall brandished their swords (and Gimli his axe) and made ready to cut down any who dared jump over. Soon, Legolas and the Dwarf were involved in competition on who could cut down more orcs first. So far, the Elf was in the lead.

Even after he burned down some of the ladders, some armored orcs still managed to jump on the walls, so Zuko joined the others and brandished his pair of swords, slashing away at the filthy brutes. Their armor was thick but it was weak at the neck and the legs so he often aimed there, not just with blades but with his firebending as well.

And after seeing the hideousness of their faces, with the slime and bared fangs, Zuko dropped all hesitation about hurting them and often aimed his fire-engulfed fists at their ugly faces, effectively incapacitating most of them. It also helped get rid of the eye sores that they were. He cringed and shuddered at the sight of them and did his best to keep them as much away from him as possible.

As he continued to fight, Zuko found himself wondering how Katara was doing against the vicious monsters.

The waterbender was likewise disgusted at the sight of the enemies. Some had still managed to climb on the wall in spite of her efforts and she was forced to fight some of them at close range. They were ugly and scary beyond belief and she screamed as she fought, cringing at the sight of them and launching her water whip to take down as many as she could without going too near them.

"I've fought some unattractive soldiers in the past but this is too revolting," she thought as she pierced an orc in the neck with an icicle. She shuddered as she fell before her and she kicked it away in disgust.

But soon the enemies' tactics grew redundant and the forces of Rohan and friends were able to fight at a reasonable rhythm, effectively cutting down those orcs who managed to go near them. As this strangely regular pace continued, Zuko grew suspicious. They had taken down so many orcs already and still more were coming.

And since those brutes had seen how their old strategies were failing, surely they would have something else in store. The crude and almost foolhardy strategies which they had been employing until then were not enough. After slashing and burning about half a dozen dumb orcs that tried to kill him, Zuko looked down to see what they were planning to do next.

Katara looked up as she heard Aragorn call something out to Legolas, pointing to an orc below. After freezing several ugly creatures and taking down a couple of ladders, she followed Legolas' arrows and saw his target. A sole orc bearing a torch was running towards the small drainage grill at the base of the walls.

Having explored those drains earlier, Katara knew where he was heading and understood that the torch was to light some sort of explosive device to destroy the wall. Unfortunately, the orc was not falling dead despite being hit several times by Legolas' arrows and Katara grew worried as the torch neared its destination.

The waterbender ran towards the part of the wall directly above the drainage hole. She knew now that to kill that running orc would not be enough, he would still be able to stumble into the hole and light the bomb that they had planted beneath. And if even a small part of the wall was destroyed, the effects would be catastrophic.

So with careful aim, Katara put out the torch of the dying orc and then quickly froze the small hole where the drain was, blocking it temporarily. The army of orcs below began to hack at the ice as fiercely as they could and it was only a matter of time before they cleared it and called another orc to light the bomb.

Aragorn and Legolas looked gratefully at Katara and she nodded. She would defend that vulnerable part of the wall as best as she could, raining icicles on those who tried to break the barrier she built and continuously reinforcing it. However, this task would keep her too busy to be able to further help in the other parts of the fight. Nevertheless, it was crucial for the wall to remain intact.

The man of Gondor and the Elf ran to her side and shielded her from further attacks. Legolas began shooting down all the orcs that approached the ice while Aragorn cut down all those that managed to climb the wall to attack them. Not to be outdone by anyone, especially an Elf, Gimli ran to their side and started waving his axe around expertly.

In another side of the battle, a phalanx of orcs was marching towards the main gate with a huge battering ram which they began to use with great enthusiasm. Theoden called to his men to brace the gate and to keep it from breaking from the force of the orcs.

The men threw spears and swords at the moving orcs and even resorted to hurling rocks at them to dissuade them from their task but the brutes persisted. Seeing the commotion at the gate, Zuko blasted a path of fire before him and ran towards it. He threw some balls of fire on the phalanx, heating up the shields, causing the orcs to drop them and so be vulnerable to the arrows and spears of the soldiers of Rohan. But this was not enough.

Zuko saw that the gate was one of wood. It would not hold long against the force of the orcish ram. Cutting down and burning renegade orcs on his way, Zuko made his way towards the gate where he hoped he could get rid of more enemies at a closer range. Meanwhile, Aragorn and Gimli left Katara and Legolas and went to where Theoden and his men struggled to hold the already broken gate from the forces of the orcs. Zuko soon joined them.

"How long do you need?" Aragorn asked of the king.

"As long as you can give me," Theoden replied. 

Aragorn, Gimli, and Zuko carefully exited through a small side door of the fortress. They peered at the orcs who were busily destroying the gate.

"We can take them," Gimli said confidently.

"It's a long way," Aragorn reminded him. The Dwarf surveyed the distance again and could not help but agree.

Coming to a painful but necessary decision, Gimli asked Aragorn to toss him, only on the condition that he would not tell Legolas about it.

"And that goes for you too," Gimli warned Zuko, who vowed silence.

And in a moment, all three were fighting side by side, tossing orcs off the narrow bridge and successfully defending the gate long enough for the king and his men to barricade it. The man and the Dwarf were skilled fighters, to say the least, and many orcs fell at their blows. Since they were handling the bulk of the soldiers, Zuko decided to aim for the huge battering ram which they had been using. After getting rid of the orcs surrounding the large thing, Zuko set it on fire and with Aragorn and Gimli's help, tossed it to the pitiful orcs below.

Being so close to the rest of the enemies, Zuko took this opportunity to launch several fire blasts at the nearby divisions of orcs. Causing more explosions among their ranks, he was able to deter some of them from doing more damage to the walls.

He was appalled to see, however, that there were still so many left standing, even after all he and Katara had done to fend them off, more were coming. The firebender wondered when they would all just run out. Their numbers were so great that it almost seemed that the forces of Helm's Deep were not making any dents on the armies of their foes.

Unfortunately, Saruman's hordes had more tricks up their sleeves with giant ropes and hooks being launched at the higher walls and even bigger ladders filled with orcs being pushed against them. Legolas and Katara managed to cut down some of the big ladders but they could not stop all of the orcs from coming.

Observing this new strategy, Zuko tried his best to aim his fire blasts at the huge catapult-like machines that launched thick ropes to the walls. He also tried to burn down the ropes that managed to get hooked so that no orcs could climb up on them.

Still making use of the rain, Katara took a deep breath before creating huge waves of ice to cover the orcs near the wall and to at least temporarily hinder them from coming any closer. It would not last long but it would buy enough time for the injured to be brought to safety and for the others to start replenishing their weapons and ammunition.

She realized that all throughout the fight, she had been unable to use her healing powers on anyone. She was torn between continuing her stand as a warrior and also answering to the needs of so many who had fallen during the fight. Added to this dilemma was the fact that she was growing exhausted from all the exertion. Master waterbender though she may have been, she still had her limits. And she was fast approaching them.

The damage caused by Aragorn, Gimli, and Zuko was enough to slightly weaken the forces of the Uruk-hai and for a few minutes they had relented. But the fight would soon be taken up again and the three warriors were already exhausted after so much close-range fighting. The gate remained defended and the walls were somehow still intact so they were recalled.

Long ropes were flung to the three on the field and they began to scale the walls back to safety. While doing so, so as not to waste any time, they still tried to cut down any stray orcs (or in Zuko's case, he burned some ladders down while he climbed up).

As he climbed, the firebender looked about him, trying to find out how Katara was doing. For some odd reason, he felt very concerned about her and hoped she was all right. He knew well that she was a master waterbender perfectly capable of taking care of herself but he was sure even she was growing tired from the incessant fighting. He was genuinely worried and he told himself it was probably because, for all the hospitality of the people in Middle-Earth, she was still the only person from his world, and there was a great comfort to be had in her presence, even if they used to be on opposite sides of the war.

Fortunately, it wasn't too hard to spot her. He had only to glance at the large block of ice that covered a part of the wall. Once Zuko had successfully reached the ramparts again, he ran towards the ice to get a better look. He was relieved to see that she still managed to hold her own although her attacks grew smaller and weaker and it was evident that her strength was waning.

The firebender caught sight of her even in the midst of the fray and saw that she was exerting a lot of effort just to keep up her frozen defenses. She was panting heavily and her stance was not as sturdy as it used to be. Zuko narrowed his eyes at this and resolved, in spite of his own exhaustion, to give her some backup, whether or not she asked for it. To his surprise, the determination to go and help her was giving him more strength to trudge on. He could not understand why.

But as he made his way along the long wall, he noticed that some large orcs had managed to crash through her ice walls and Katara found herself surrounded by the vicious beasts. A few hours ago it would not have been difficult for her to defeat them, but she was worn out and most of those orcs were fresh and ready to fight, however stupid they were. She created an octopus of water to be able to strike them all at once.

Unintelligent though the hordes of Uruk-hai may have been, in the course of the battle, they had somehow figured out that Katara was a great threat to them. So the leaders had spared some of his orcs to try and take her down. Zuko had been seen as a threat as well but he moved around so much that it was difficult to corner him. For Katara, they had only to follow the ice.

And as she busied herself with these, Zuko noticed that those orcs that surrounded her were only a diversion. For from a higher point in the wall, an orcish archer was aiming a poison-tipped arrow towards the preoccupied waterbender. Zuko cried out a warning but he was too far off for it to reach anyone. All the other soldiers around were too busy defending themselves to be able to be of help. Legolas and Gimli were somewhere on the lower levels, comparing how many orcs they could take down and Aragorn was busy giving orders to the others.

Zuko cursed under his breath. But he was too far for any of his fire attacks to reach the assassin. And yet, he knew if he didn't act quickly, Katara would be shot down. He racked his brain for a solution and looked around frantically. And then, an idea occurred to him. It was risky but it was worth a try. There was no other option at that point.

Katara whipped yet another orc over the wall and it fell screaming into the depths. She panted heavily and was also fast losing her patience.

"How many are you?" she cried out in exasperation, "why won't you just disappear?"

But there really wasn't much time to chat as the battle raged around her. She was thankful that the rain continued so that she had a constant supply of her element but she was still growing more and more weary and worried as well.

"If this keeps up, I don't know how I'm going to manage," she thought gravely. And she found herself wondering where Zuko was and how he was holding up against the monsters.

In an instant, she had her answer.

For a flash of lightning hit the sky, and much to her (and the other orcs' shock), the lightning bolt had somehow been directed just a little above where she was fighting. The waterbender whirled around to see an electrocuted orcish archer fall to his death. From his position, Katara quickly surmised that he had been aiming for her.

She turned to the source of the lightning and saw Zuko, still in position, some distance away from her. Still shocked, she could not help but grin in relief, gratitude, and admiration.

She had not believed him at first when he had boasted that he could redirect lightning. And she was happily proven wrong.

This spectacle had an even better effect than Zuko had initially expected. It had been so phenomenal that many of the soldiers had actually paused in their fighting out of mingled terror and fascination. Aragorn and the other men of Rohan all looked in awe at the lone firebender and could not believe that he had been capable of using such power. The lesser, weaker orcs trembled and fled in fear after the scene, afraid to be struck next.

And luckily, many of the Uruk-hai who had witnessed the spectacle backed away from the wall and for a few precious moments, they ceased their campaign. The men of Rohan took advantage of this momentary distraction to push their enemies away and to reinforce the defenses of the wall.

Zuko had no trouble reaching Katara as frightened orcs fled from his sight as he ran. The waterbender effectively got rid of the rest of the other orcs who had tried to attack her and she was able to raise a new ice barrier to keep them away.

"Are you all right?" Zuko asked in concern, as he stopped to catch his breath.

"Thanks to you," Katara replied with a grateful smile, moved by the fact that he seemed so genuinely concerned about her welfare, "that was amazing."

He shrugged lightly, prompting her to tease, "I didn't think you had it in you."

To her surprise, he did not gloat or boast of his new feat but merely gave another light shrug. He seemed too tired to even bask in his victory.

"How do you feel?" she asked, her turn to show concern.

"Exhilarated," he replied breathlessly, "and also terrified."

It was then that Katara realized just how dangerous Zuko's heroic act had been. This made her appreciate his gesture even more.

"Thanks again," she said more earnestly. There was no time to continue the conversation as the troops were being rallied. Legolas and Gimli congratulated the two benders on their hard work and escorted them inside. Some soldiers of Rohan were left to take their place.

"Fall back!" Theoden cried to his men. For the meantime, the defense would hold. But many of the soldiers needed to rest and recover from their injuries. Others just needed to somehow regain their strength.

Days passed and the fighting persisted, though to a lesser degree. Still, the Uruk-hai army remained strong, because of their vast numbers. Theoden and Aragorn were sure that they had already destroyed a significant portion of the orcish army but since so many remained, the people of Helm's Deep could not afford to let their guard down.

Women and children, a whole nation lay hidden behind those ancient walls. Many had fallen to defend it and still it stood. But hope was wearing thin, even for the greatest of fighters. The strongest of soldiers were growing weary, and some parts, albeit small sections, of the wall had already been destroyed. The orcs had not been able to get through, the rest of the soldiers, Elves, and benders made sure of that, but it was growing more difficult to hold them back.

Katara decided to split her time between healing and tending to the wounded and going to the front and fighting. Zuko assured her that he was doing his best to keep the Uruk-hai from destroying the wall and she trusted him. He had also been the one to convince her that she was much needed as a healer, so that more soldiers would be able to help in the fight.

Some of the women helped her in her duties, including Lady Eowyn, who marveled at the waterbender's healing skills. Many of the soldiers who were gravely wounded had been instantly healed and were soon ready to rejoin the fray. The waterbender realized that she was able to save more lives this way.

Anyway, the rain had stopped, which left Katara with little to work with in terms of large-scale fighting so she devoted more and more of her time to healing. From what she heard of Zuko's performance in the field, she was fairly satisfied he could handle a lot of the fighting. The men of Rohan were saying good things about him and she found herself approving of all their praise somehow.

It was a comfort to know that while the orcs' forces were continually depleting through the efforts of the valiant men of Rohan and their diverse allies, the Uruk-hai were unable to significantly cripple the numbers of the people in the Deep. After all, the brutish army had no great healers among them.

But still, there were those who had perished in the fight and this proved to be a frustration to Katara. Zuko and the others assured her that it was never her fault.

Once, she could not help but weep and found solace by leaning on Zuko's shoulder. He was surprised at the gesture but did his best to console her.

"You can't save everyone, Katara," he told her sadly, "but at least you're doing what you can for those who have survived."

"I know," she replied in tears, "but it's just, even if I've been seeing all the horrors of war since childhood, I can never get used to all this pain and death."

"And you should never get used to it," he told her gravely, "no one should."

She leaned against him and he gave her a light squeeze on the shoulders. They said nothing for a few moments.

A few weeks ago, she would have never imagined that she would be seeking comfort and solace in the son of the Fire Lord. But even if they had only been together for a few days, and even if there had not been too much opportunity to know more about him, Katara felt that she could trust him, that he was so much different from the Fire Prince she had known. His actions had proven him to be an honorable man, and she had acquired a great respect for him.

There was no question, on his part, about his admiration of her. And he felt honored that she was willing to trust him, in spite of everything. Even if it seemed like this new friendship had been formed by default, since he happened to be the only other person from her world who was around, he appreciated her trust and hoped that he would prove himself to her as time passed.

Neither one knew how much longer they could hold up against their enemies, nor how long they would be staying in that mysterious, conflicted world. But they were both determined to make the most of the experience.

They were soon joined by the weary but resilient figure of Aragorn, who offered some words of comfort. From the little that he had learned about the two benders, he knew that they had seen their fair share of war in their world. And yet, they were both still so young, too young even, to have seen and experienced so much.

"We shall all see dark times in our lives," he told them, "and sometimes even worse than we ever expected. But though fear may grip our hearts, we need to remember to endure, to keep fighting to live. For we have seen brighter days as well as stormy ones. And if we live long enough, we may yet see them again."

Zuko and Katara nodded, drawing great comfort from his words.

A great horn sounded loudly through the Deep and Aragorn explained briefly the history of this ancient instrument. But even without knowing its significance, Zuko and Katara already felt their strength growing at the echo of that horn (a sound which made the orcs tremble where they stood).

They were being reminded to keep fighting, to keep living.

At this Katara strengthened her resolve to be as much help as she could. There was still so much she could do before this battle was over and she was determined not to waste any more time.

Zuko looked at Aragorn again and noticed that the tall man was gazing pensively at a nearby window. The firebender followed Aragorn's gaze and for some inexplicable reason, he felt a surge of hope.

The sun was rising.


	4. Chapter 3: Isengard

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: Hope you all liked the last one.**

**A lot less action in this chapter since it's more of a transition between "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King". It won't be as long either, but a lot shall take place, don't worry about it.**

**Some dialogue I had to take from the movie, to keep things in context and to put the action firmly in particular scenes. But I will not include all the dialogue, of course, as that would make the story redundant.**

**Hope you like this one, nevertheless. Thanks.**

**CHAPTER THREE**

"Look to my coming on first light of the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east."

That had been his last message, and Aragorn knew well that the new White Wizard was a man of his word.

A cheer rose from the people of Rohan who stood on the ramparts of Helm's Deep, an unusually happy commotion which caused the leaders of the battle to come out to see for themselves what the fuss was all about. And the sight that met them brought more than hope into their despairing hearts – it brought jubilation.

For there, atop the hill, looking down on the pathetic remnants of the Uruk-hai hordes, was the White Wizard himself, basking in the radiance of the first rays of sunlight, making him look all the more pure and brilliant. Riding on the great steed, Shadowfax, Gandalf smiled down upon the denizens of Helm's Deep, a ray of victory already shining from his very presence.

The orcs raised their hands to shield their eyes from the glare, and even they could not deny the significant effect of Gandalf's arrival. Even if he stood alone in the light, Gandalf's presence beset even the most vicious of Uruk-hai with terror and uncertainty. The higher ranking of the orcs knew more about the matter and knew what they had to fear from him. But even the rank and file among the beasts quivered where they stood, even if they could not fully understand why.

"He's back!" Katara cried joyfully as she and Zuko joined the rest of the people on the top of the wall. The firebender nodded and smiled hopefully.

But soon, the orcs snapped out of the momentary awe that Gandalf had struck in them and began to roar menacingly, threatening him to charge at them. One of the head orcs cried that even a wizard was no match against their still great numbers or something silly to that effect. In a moment they were to realize how mistaken they were.

For behind Gandalf emerged a tall, armor-clad warrior, bearing the full regalia of a man of Rohan.

"Eomer," Theoden whispered with great gladness. He was not alone, after all.

"Rohirrim!" Eomer cried, summoning his army. The entire hillside was then filled with the valiant figures of the loyal men of Rohan, all fresh and ready for battle.

The color drained from the faces of the Uruk-hai and they knew at that moment that all was lost for them. They would put up some pathetic effort at defending themselves but all this would be futile. The battle was as good as lost for them.

"Who?" Zuko and Katara inquired, though they were not complaining about the help that had come.

"The king's nephew and his men," Legolas obligingly explained, "and Lady Eowyn's brother. He had been banished by the king when Theoden had still been under the unfortunate control of Grima Wormtongue, Saruman's dog."

The word "banished" had gotten Zuko's attention and he was more than willing to hear more about this new arrival when he and Katara were reminded that there was still a fair amount of orcs to be defeated.

"Sounds like a long story," Katara commented with interest.

"We shall have time for all that later," Gimli interrupted, "for now, there is orc-slaying to be done."

"Indeed," Legolas agreed, readying his bow and arrow. Zuko and Katara followed suit and rejoined the fighting.

At the signal, the Rohirrim charged down the hill, with Eomer and Gandalf in the lead. The wizard raised his staff and seemed to command even more light to shine upon the shadowy forces.

Theoden and his men charged as well, determined to win. For although they were all exhausted, the reinforcements had given them more courage to continue fighting and they did so with a renewed vigor.

Not wanting to be left behind, Zuko took a deep breath, gathering his strength from the light of the sun, and began blasting through large sections of the orcish army, causing wailing and weeping among the hapless beasts.

Katara joined the fight as well, even if the water she had was limited. With expert use of her water whip, she put down many of the already desolate orcs and then, she still managed to launch several icicles at the rest of them.

There was no escape for Saruman's pathetic army now. The desperate creatures were caught between the forces of Helm's Deep, who were determined to crush them into oblivion, and the fresh, fiercer forces of Gandalf and Eomer, who were more than willing to do the same. They were finished, decimated, annihilated, and slaughtered.

As the sun took its place in the sky, the battle of Helm's Deep was concluded.

Later on, once things had settled down somewhat, and the women and children could at last emerge safely out of their shelter, there was much rejoicing among the people of Rohan and their allies.

For the time being, Rohan was safe, but plans were made to make sure that Isengard would no longer be a threat to them. But before these were finalized, the new arrivals first greeted all the people there and a happy reunion was formed with the royal family.

Theoden welcomed his nephew with open arms, and Eomer was relieved and joyful to see that his uncle was freed from the poison of Grima Wormtongue. Seeing the king looking so alive and strong in spite of his age was a great comfort to the nephew and he resolved to serve his uncle and lord to the best of his ability. He was also happy to see his sister, safe and sound, and still supporting their uncle.

While the family was busy reuniting, some members of the Fellowship of the Ring were busy catching up with each other as well. Gandalf greeted Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas with a smile and asked them how they fared. The wizard also made sure to check on the two benders, for whom he felt particularly responsible.

"I trust you have had quite an experience while I was away," he told them with a wink.

"To say the least," Katara replied with a laugh, "but your timing was perfect. We were seriously running out of options."

"Gandalf has an uncanny talent at arriving at the moment when he is most needed," Aragorn explained with a smile, "that's what makes him so dependable."

"You do me much credit, I am sure," the wizard replied with a humble bow and a wide grin, "I have been wandering on this earth for lifetimes longer than any of you, so I suppose I've developed a knack for coming at the appropriate moments."

Then, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas duly acquainted Gandalf with all that transpired during the siege of Helm's Deep. They also proudly added (in as much detail as they could) how much the two benders had contributed to keeping the defenses up against the masses of vicious orcs.

"We are grateful for all your help," Aragorn told Zuko and Katara, "and for the hope that you gave to all the people here by your presence and support."

Earlier, Theoden had introduced them to his nephew and had also sung praises of their powers and all that they had done to aid in defending the fortress. Eomer had marveled at the tales of the benders' prowess and he expressed a hope at seeing demonstrations of their skills at a more convenient time.

Suddenly, Zuko and Katara felt rather embarrassed about such profuse praise and they accepted all the good words about them with shy humility.

Zuko in particular was unaccustomed to being talked about so highly in a place where no one knew his rank and position (not that any of that mattered now, since he was banished and all that.) But it was amazingly gratifying to hear people say such kind things about him when they hardly even knew him or the kind of family he had come from.

Katara watched him carefully and observed his reactions. She noticed how calm and shy he seemed about the whole matter and began to wonder all about him.

Nevertheless, the two benders were glad that they had been able to be of such help to the people of Rohan and by the look on Gandalf's face, they knew that they had not let him down. At that moment, they had forgotten all about their wondering why he didn't bring an earthbender along although when he had first arrived, they had somehow hoped he had taken another trip to their world to get more benders to help. But they did not dare question the wise old man's methods, seeing as he had a penchant for coming through in the end.

Gandalf smiled at his two new protégés with great pride. He was certain now that he had not chosen wrong when he had brought them to this world. He had a fair idea of the convoluted situation in their world and the similarly complicated relationship they had with one another. But as he observed them now, the White Wizard knew that at the end of this journey, much will have been resolved between them.

"I had no doubt of your being of great help to the people here," Gandalf told them with a knowing glance, "and as the days pass, you shall surely grow stronger than you ever expected to be. But this is but the beginning of the road for you, and what you have seen now is but a glimpse of the whole story."

At this Aragorn suddenly apologized for not having given them too many details about the situation. The two benders hastily assured him that it was no problem at all.

"By and by I shall try to make things clearer to you," Gandalf assured them now, "but you see what you have become involved in is so much more complex than the struggles of the Four Nations, although that is not to say that your world is in less need of your help. Ere the end, you two shall be invaluable allies to the Avatar as he journeys to fulfill his destiny."

Zuko and Katara looked incredulously at the old man and it was Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli's turn to look confused.

"Don't look so shocked," Gandalf told them with a laugh, "I am quite aware of your circumstances, however inactive a part I have played in your world."

"Exactly how much does Gandalf know about our world?" Zuko and Katara thought simultaneously.

As if reading their minds, Gandalf smiled and said, "I will tell you this much. I was there when Sozin and Roku's friendship was broken. And though I tried to dissuade the Fire Lord from continuing his campaign, he would have none of it."

Once again, Zuko and Katara looked at the old man with wide eyes but he was determined to keep them in suspense. Even Zuko had not been aware that Avatar Roku and Fire Lord Sozin had been friends.

Katara was also shocked by the fact that Gandalf had been old enough to give counsel to Zuko's great grandfather. For the wizard to have been around before the war even started meant that he was even older than Aang (and had not had the benefit of being frozen for a century in an iceberg to preserve his youthful looks).

"And I know some interesting things about your heritage, Zuko," Gandalf added mysteriously, "that might really give you some perspective about your destiny. But there will be an occasion for that some other time."

There were other, more urgent matters to attend to and he reminded them of this.

The two benders reserved their questions for a more convenient time – which they hoped to have, although nothing was certain.

By this time, even Aragorn and his two friends were growing more and more curious about the origins of their two guests. And once again, they marveled at the vast amount of wisdom Gandalf possessed – even of a completely different world. The Grey Pilgrim must have indeed traversed some distant roads, far from any of their imaginations.

"Where to next?" Zuko asked eagerly. He had a feeling that this was only the beginning of the adventure. And he was anxious to know what they would have to face after such a trying battle.

"Now, we ride to Isengard," Gandalf announced in a more serious tone, "and to the tower of Orthanc, where Saruman awaits us."

At the mention of the other wizard (of whom Zuko and Katara had heard a little, but enough to make them wary), Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli looked grave.

"Will we have much difficulty in bringing him down now?" the Dwarf asked, already grasping his axe.

"That I cannot say," the wizard replied, "but I sense that we shall cross paths once more with two of our friends from the Shire."

The three members of the Fellowship looked hopeful at this, and once again, Zuko and Katara had no idea what they were talking about. Recalling their guests, Aragorn assured the two that he would explain things on their way.

The small company rode through the Fangorn Forest, which was as eerie as ever but bore evidences of a great struggle. Gandalf observed these changes carefully and surmised what had happened. It seemed that the forest had been awakened at last.

Katara shuddered as they passed silently through the gloomy woods. There was something unsettling about that place, and it seemed almost too sacred for them to be passing through there.

"And I thought the Earth Kingdom swamp was creepy," she muttered as they carefully rode uprooted trees and stray branches. She kept her arm constantly at her water gourd, ready to strike at any plant life that seemed hostile. Fortunately, they had no trouble getting to where they needed to be.

After some time, they emerged into a clearing, and Zuko observed that the so-called stronghold of their enemy seemed a lot brighter than he had expected. In fact, it seemed almost homey. He wondered how things had fared in that strange place.

As the company entered, they were greeted cheerfully by two small men sitting atop some old ruins. The whole place had been flooded quite recently and all of its filth had been purified by the forces of nature herself.

"Welcome, my lords," cried one of the happy little men with pride, "to Isengard!"

Zuko and Katara could not help but stare at the pair of small men even as Gimli began to scold them good-naturedly. The two benders were still surprised even after Aragorn had somehow introduced the concept of hobbits to them.

"We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts," the other hobbit said as his companion cheerfully puffed on his pipe.

"Hobbits," Gandalf huffed as he rode past them, although he still seemed happy to see that they were well.

"We're under orders from Treebeard," the hobbit explained, "who's taken over management of Isengard."

It was then that the hobbits noticed the two benders, who continued to stare at them in disbelief. Merry and Pippin then asked Gandalf why he brought a couple of children with them to the battlefield.

"They may be years younger than you, Peregrin Took," Gandalf answered, "but they have proven infinitely more useful."

The two hobbits pretended to be offended at this remark but walked over to the benders for proper introductions. Already Katara was amused by the lively disposition of the two short men and once names were exchanged, she gladly gave a small demonstration of her waterbending – much to their amusement.

Zuko was also persuaded to show them some firebending although he was still slightly wary of them.

Later on, the whole company was greeted by Treebeard the Ent who was one of the few remaining living beings who could refer to Gandalf as "young."

Once again, Zuko and Katara were extremely surprised at encountering such a strange and ancient being. ("The tree is talking," Katara had whispered, "and this time I don't think there's a man inside." Zuko had said nothing but merely stared.)

The Ent was likewise surprise after Gandalf introduced the benders to them and Treebeard wondered how he would be able to include yet another category of creatures to the ancient list of all living things.

By and by the situation in Isengard was made clear to them all and they rode over to the tower of Orthanc where Saruman and Grima Wormtongue hid themselves most carefully.

Zuko and Katara watched the proceedings very carefully, sensible enough to remain silent and discreet. Gandalf had warned against listening to Saruman's persuasive voice, and they all resolved to ignore any promises he might give to lure them out of their senses.

When Gimli suggested that they just get rid of the treacherous wizard, Gandalf warned against it and said that they needed Saruman alive, to be able to give them vital information about their other, greater enemy. They all looked up to see another old man in white, who spoke to each of them in a deep, soothing (and dangerous) voice.

Zuko frowned at the old man atop the tower. For even though Saruman leaned for support on his staff, he was still sly enough to try and trick them all into his bidding. Katara was glad that there was more water around her that she could use to defend herself, although she wasn't sure physical combat would make much of a difference.

They listened as Theoden rattled a list of Saruman's crimes against the people of Rohan. The king had long been enslaved by Saruman's wiles and now he was resisting any other false offer with great fortitude. Theoden would have none of the "peace" the old wizard offered.

Gandalf then spoke to the fallen wizard, trying to convince him to give them information that would save thousands of lives.

"So you have come here for information? I have some for you."

Saruman was not moved and instead brought out a black, glowing orb.

And though they did not know what it was, Zuko and Katara suddenly shivered at the sight of it. They felt a chill come over them and a faint sense of dread as Saruman spoke.

"Something festers in the heart of Middle-earth," he said ominously, "something that you have failed to see. The great Eye has seen it. Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You're all going to die."

A great, cold fear settled on all of them as they heard these words, more powerful since they had been spoken in such a menacing tone.

"But you know this, don't you, Gandalf?" Saruman continued, "you cannot think that this _ranger _can ever sit upon the throne of Gondor, this exile crept from the shadows will never be crowned king."

Aragorn's face grew very grave and Zuko looked sympathetically at his companion. The firebender was growing more and more curious about the story behind the brave and skilled swordsman.

Saruman continued to taunt and ridicule Gandalf, speaking of things which Zuko and Katara did not understand, but which they surmised to be very heavy accusations. Gandalf said nothing.

"I've heard enough!" Gimli cried in outrage, and asked Legolas to shoot the wizard down. Gandalf stopped them.

"Come down, Saruman," Gandalf cried out, "and your life will be spared."

"Save your pity and your mercy!" Saruman shouted in repulsion, "I have no need of it."

And with that he sent a fire blast down from his staff.

Zuko immediately stepped in and easily dissolved it with a wave of his arm. Gandalf expressed his gratitude. Saruman was too livid and shocked at the turn of events that he was rendered speechless.

"Saruman," Gandalf told him calmly, "your staff is broken."

And immediately, the staff in the fallen wizard's hand snapped and he realized at last that he was beaten. Theoden called out to the slimy looking man who stood beside Saruman and tried to coax him to join them.

This only enraged Saruman further and he began to gravely insult Theoden and the people of Rohan. The king could say nothing.

"You are a lesser son of greater sires," Saruman finished contemptuously.

But Gandalf was still determined to negotiate with Saruman. And for a few moments, the traitor finally seemed willing to cooperate.

"If you withdraw your guard, I will tell you where your doom will be decided," Saruman offered.

But things happened too quickly after that. Saruman's servant turned on him and stabbed the wizard several times in the back. Legolas reacted quickly by shooting down the servant but Saruman was already at the edge of his tower and so fell to a gruesome death.

Gone were all prospects of getting crucial information from the traitor. It was a grave loss indeed.

Zuko and Katara, and all those who witnessed this, shuddered at the sight. The two benders had never seen such a grisly death and they hoped that this would be the last of such things, although there could be no certainty of that.

Gandalf, however, was the first among them to recover. He was more serious than ever, and the two benders became aware of a greater urgency.

"Send word to all our allies," Gandalf instructed with authority, "and to every corner of Middle-Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike."

Theoden and Aragorn nodded at this and they all began to move with more purpose and speed, now that the threat of destruction drew closer. There was still so much to be done before all the allies could be gathered and adequate preparations could be made.

"The filth of Saruman is washing away," Treebeard announced as Saruman's corpse sank into the water.

For all the danger and darkness that awaited them, they were relieved to know that at least one part of Middle-earth was freed from corruption. The Ents assured Gandalf that Isengard would be properly purged of all the impurities that Saruman had brought upon it. Surely, it would never be as it originally was, but it would still be much better.

One of the hobbits waded into the muck and picked something from beneath the water. He stared at it in wonder.

Katara noticed that he had picked up the strangely powerful black orb that Saruman had been holding up. For some reason she could not fathom, she was afraid of that orb, it seemed so unspeakably menacing.

Gandalf noticed this development and soon rode over to the hobbit. He asked the lad to hand it over and the hobbit did so, albeit somewhat reluctantly. The wizard was careful not to touch the thing and wrapped it immediately in the folds of his long robe.

Quicker than they came, Theoden, Eomer, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf, the two hobbits, and the two benders now quitted Isengard. They left the place in the care of the Ents and all their kinsmen.

Katara and Zuko, after witnessing such a serious exchange now decided not to press Gandalf for any details. The old man was clearly preoccupied with so many other more important things.

Luckily, the shroud of melancholy had been lifted fairly quickly from the two hobbits, who were very eager to know more about the young strangers. Merry and Pippin were friendly and chatty, asking a lot of questions of Zuko and Katara and also eagerly answering some of the questions the benders asked of them. Their conversations were very lively, considering the circumstances, and the two benders soon found themselves growing quite fond of their new friends.

Gandalf paid them no mind for as long as they gave fairly accurate accounts of the situation to the two foreigners. He was relieved that the benders would have some people to talk to while he, Aragorn and the rest began to make arrangements for the coming battles.

The wise wizard felt that it was too much to ask of Zuko and Katara to actively participate in the War of the Ring, but he had no choice since the portal to their world had not yet reopened, meaning that they still had roles to play in Middle-earth somehow. He was certain of their strength, and he would make sure that they would indeed return home safely.

Every now and then, Zuko and Katara had to ask the hobbits to slow down in their explanations. Merry and Pippin spoke so quickly and excitedly about their cousin Frodo and about some ring of power and a dark lord and the benefits of smoking Longbottom Leaf, the delicacies of the Green Dragon, and of a place called the Shire, that the two benders were quite overwhelmed with all the new information.

But Zuko and Katara were also somehow beginning to realize that more challenges and trials awaited them in that world, and an enemy far more sinister than Fire Lord Ozai or any of his ancestors could ever be.

As they rode, Katara found herself once more confiding in Zuko. He listened to her attentively, for he shared the same thoughts. Now that they had involved themselves so deeply into the affairs of Middle-earth, they felt a certain responsibility to keep it from being completely destroyed. In the short time that they had been there, they had somehow grown to love that world and all its strange inhabitants.

After all, Zuko thought, he and Katara would not have been summoned to help if there was absolutely no hope. Limited though their contributions could be, they were still needed in such desperate hours. And this was a destiny that he was more than willing to forge himself, and now, with Katara's help.

"I really hope that Aang and others are all right without us," she whispered, "because it looks like we're going to be here for a lot longer than I expected."


	5. Chapter 4: Edoras

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: A little more action this time, and more of me interfering with the plot as I see fit. Don't worry, nothing major.**

**And not really action referring to epic fight scenes or battles, but really more development between the characters, and again some more transition to the major events of the story. I'm writing as fast as I can and I'm really trying to stick to my deadline. So you can expect relatively fast updates from me if school doesn't get to me these first few weeks.**

**By the way, I'm using the Extended Edition of the movies as a reference for the stories so I hope you don't mind.**

**Hope you enjoy and do leave a review if you can spare the time.**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

So much lay ahead of them still, but the journey was not completely full of trials and tribulations.

As it turned out, things were not as desperate as they seemed. There was still some time for them all to journey back to Edoras, to King Theoden's hall, to celebrate the victory at Helm's Deep.

All those who had perished at the battle were duly buried and accorded every honor that was their due. The injured soldiers were able to return home to recuperate and the rest of the people of Rohan joyfully resumed their lives.

The great battles against the Dark Lord Sauron were not yet to begin, and there remained so much preparation to be done that Gandalf did not burden all his companions with doing so. Even the old wizard managed to find some time to rest and recover some of his strength. He needed enough time to ponder on everything carefully and to be able to strategize what was best to be done from that moment on.

In the meantime, friendships were forged between the two benders and the people of Middle-Earth. The people of Rohan, the soldiers in particular, never forgot how Zuko and Katara had helped fight against the Uruk-hai hordes and so lavished them with gifts and endless expressions of gratitude.

The two benders assured their new friends that such profuse thanks was not necessary, that they had simply been doing what they felt was right. But they were still treated quite handsomely when they entered King Theoden's court.

The king himself constantly referred to their bravery and strength, as he resumed his rule over Rohan once more. All of Theoden's subjects were happy and relieved to see that their king was no longer under the repulsive influence of Saruman, and that he would lead them to prosperity and safety once more. But though he was stronger than he had been, Theoden could not be sure of the future. Knowing now that there were to be other great battles to be fought and soon, he was carefully making plans of his own, as to who would take his place should he finally achieve the glorious death of his forefathers.

There was no doubt in his mind that Eomer would succeed him, as his son Theodred had already passed on. The old king was satisfied with the recent turn of events, and he hoped that in the limited time that he had left, he would still be able to serve his people well.

Zuko and Katara had also grown quite fond of the six members of the Fellowship of the Ring. They had already established strong ties with Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, having fought side by side. The three warriors had a great respect for them, even if the two benders were still quite young. Aragorn in particular was eager to hear their stories and to learn more about the world where people had the power to control the elements.

Naturally, Zuko and Katara were already quite close to Gandalf, who was always very kind and accommodating in spite of his busy schedule. Little by little, he would explain the situation to them as simply as he could and they came to understand more about the turmoil that Middle-Earth was facing and how much depended on the success of two brave Hobbits. They asked if there was any possibility of their meeting and helping Frodo but Gandalf said that the Ringbearer was beyond their reach. But the old wizard believed in Frodo and wished him well.

Zuko could not quite understand why they would entrust the Ring, the most dangerous weapon he had ever heard of, to a hobbit like Merry and Pippin. But he did not question Gandalf's wisdom and he also remembered something Iroh had told him about destiny being a funny thing.

And after all the strange twists and turns he had experienced, Zuko felt that he was in no position to question the forces of fate. Besides, from what he heard from Gandalf and the others about Frodo, Zuko had the feeing that this particular hobbit was considerably more dependable than either Merry or Pippin.

Merry and Pippin had grown quite close to the benders as well, and they were always regaling Zuko and Katara with stories of their adventures with Gandalf (some of the exaggerations the wizard had to correct) and tales of their lives in the Shire. Katara was greatly amused by these small but hardy folk and she laughed more at their antics than Zuko did, since he was the more serious one.

On one occasion, Zuko and Katara listened to the story of Aragorn, not completely from the Ranger himself but also from Gandalf, who was knowledgeable on all the details. Zuko felt a certain kinship with the heir of Elendil, an exile like himself, and the young firebender was inspired by the strength that Aragorn possessed in spite of all the pain and suffering he had been through. The banished prince of the Fire Nation was more than willing to support the Aragorn should he (Zuko) remain in Middle-Earth long enough to see the return of the king.

Katara likewise admired the brave member of the Dunedain and hoped that he would be able to fulfill his destiny. She was also intrigued by what Legolas had told them about the Elf to whom Aragorn had given his heart. When Gandalf further explained how much Arwen would sacrifice to be with Aragorn, Katara was moved and though she had not even met the daughter of Elrond, the waterbender hoped that everything would work out for them in the end.

This part of Aragorn's story was told to the two benders in some privacy as Aragorn himself did not often wish to talk about that grave state of affairs. It was understood that the matter would remain somewhat of a secret and that all discretion was to be exercised when referring to it. So much was still uncertain between Elrond's daughter and the heir of Gondor. The love between a man (even one with the longevity of the Dunedain) and an Elf was always a complicated matter, to say the least.

Katara regretted these conditions since she felt that the Lady Eowyn would have been interested to know more of Aragorn's history. However, the waterbender was in no position to divulge any details and so remained silent. Katara only hoped that Eowyn would be able to find happiness with someone else.

The waterbender also noticed how interested Zuko had been in Aragorn's story and how much the firebender seemed to relate. She became even more curious about the firebender of whom she knew so little. Since their arrival in Middle-Earth, she had seen a much different Zuko than the one she had previously encountered when he was still chasing the Avatar. He had proven to be a reliable ally and even a good friend to her although she was still uncertain about where they stood.

After the battle of Helm's Deep, they did not often speak to each other as much, although they were always civil. He was not snobby or contemptuous but seemed more shy than anything else. And she was unsure of what to say to him so she did not converse much. She had begun to wonder who the _real _Zuko was and if he would reveal himself in that alien world and under such unique circumstances.

Fortunately, she did not have to wonder for too long. For when all the stories of the members of the Fellowship had been shared with the two guests, it was their turn to talk about themselves. Of course, Aragorn and Gandalf did not press the benders to talk for they were much too refined for that.

Merry and Pippin were another matter, and the hobbits practically badgered the other two for information about their lives and their homes. Even King Theoden and his nephew and niece were curious about their guests and whenever the royal family could be spared from their duties, they would eagerly listen to the accounts of the two benders.

Naturally, Katara had been the more willing narrator, and she happily obliged by talking about her life at the South Pole before meeting the Avatar, and all the subsequent adventures. She even mentioned how Zuko used to be their enemy and how he relentlessly pursued Aang for some time but she left it to him to further discuss. To her surprise, he made no objection to her talking about the past and merely nodded. She felt almost embarrassed to be referring to a situation that was so drastically different. After a while she spoke less of her association with Zuko, since it was so different already and focused on some general themes, to be on the safe side.

She explained as briefly and as simply as she could the state of war the Four Nations was currently in. Katara also had to describe the four countries that comprised her world, although she left the Fire Nation for Zuko to elaborate on. He seemed content to let her speak first and he never interrupted so she took it that he approved of all she was saying. After talking about the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, and the Air Nomads, Katara shifted to more personal stories, like her family situation and her mother's death at a Fire Nation raid years ago.

It was a painful experience to talk about and the waterbender did not really go into all the details of that event. But she was comfortable enough among her new friends and felt that they could be trusted with all she had to share. And it helped her as well, to talk about that painful time, because she was somehow being relieved of a very heavy burden. She never realized before that talking about the pain among people who were kind and sympathetic was a great comfort.

When she was speaking of this particular event, with everyone around looking sympathetic and concerned, Katara noticed that Zuko also seemed considerably affected by it. He was looking at her apologetically, almost as if he felt that it was his fault that such a tragedy had had to befall her. She bore him no ill will, of course, and was surprised by his seeming guilt at the situation.

But what made Katara wonder was another strange expression on Zuko's face, one that she had not expected at all. He looked like he truly understood the pain she had gone through, and that he could actually relate to losing his mother. But for all that his face revealed, the firebender remained silent, which only caused Katara to be even more interested in the story that he might have to tell.

So interested in fact that she hastily wrapped up her own account, seeing as she had covered more than the essentials anyway. The waterbender had been speaking for quite some time and had only just realized what an unusual story it all seemed for her audience. After all, she was a foreigner to them and aside from the common experience of war, all other facets of her life seemed unique and intriguing to the people of Middle-Earth, just as their world was such as source of fascination for her.

Again while no pressure was being imposed upon him, Zuko felt that it would only be fair for him to start talking about his own life. He was not used to such open sharing and was slightly nervous before he began. The formerly sullen prince did not often talk about his past as much of it did not give him much pleasure anyway.

But all the people around were supportive and kind and he felt at ease with them. Besides, however friendly and welcoming they were to him, they were still foreigners, people from another world, and they would not have the same standards by which he could be thoroughly condemned. He realized then that he was most apprehensive of Katara's reactions to all he would reveal, and he hoped that she would somehow hate him less and understand how much he had to endure. For some reason he could not fathom, Zuko really wanted her to think better of him.

He was unable to see that her opinion of him had gradually improved ever since they arrived in Middle-Earth and when they were fighting side by side at Helm's Deep. A talented firebender though Zuko may have been, he wasn't too keen when it came to more emotional concerns.

"Since Katara didn't talk much about this so-called Fire Nation of yours," Pippin asked cheerfully, "we would really like to know your take on it, since you are, after all a native."

"Haven't you been listening, Pip?" Merry scolded his countryman, "he's the prince of the Fire Nation! He would know more about it than anyone!"

"That's not exactly true," Zuko told them in a serious but slightly amused tone, "even if I am a member of the Royal Family, there is still so much I don't understand about my country, so many secrets that my family has kept from me."

He paused, pondering on the matter further while the two hobbits were reprimanded by Gandalf for their cheek. They said something to defend themselves but the wizard would hear none of it. Katara smiled at them but looked at Zuko in concern.

"In fact," the firebender added all of a sudden, "Master Gandalf might even know more than I do."

All eyes were turned to the wizard now, although the people there were not surprised to hear of the extension of his wisdom. There was no limit to what Gandalf knew about one world or another.

"That may be true," Gandalf conceded, "although my knowledge of your family's history may not be as recent as your own. I know of your great grandfather and a little of your grandfather but not that of younger generations. It has been quite a while since I last visited your world."

Zuko took this as a sign to begin his story so he did, giving a brief description of the Fire Nation. He talked about the land, the people, and certain customs and traditions. Inevitably, he talked about the beginning of the war, and the dominion of Fire Lord Sozin and his subsequent heirs.

Aragorn and Theoden were not that surprised by the dark history of Zuko's line. More than anyone, these two knew the great peril that lay in the life of kings and all the intrigues and conflicts that occurred in a royal family. After all, Zuko's history could not be as convoluted as Aragorn's but the heir of Elendil was not one to judge.

The firebender also discussed the rivalry and animosity that existed between him and his younger sister. The others were surprised to hear of such heated competition between the siblings. Katara, already acquainted with Azula, could easily see the latter as a ruthless and cruel leader.

"What a strange family to have so many troubles," Pippin could not help but comment, "I mean the Tooks and the Bagginses and the other families in the Shire have their fair share of quarrels, some that even last for generations, but nothing of this sort."

"Well, he isn't from the Shire, is he?" Merry remarked sarcastically.

"Such I have seen of the race of men," Legolas commented, "they are easily angered, and harbor great ill will even against their own kin, when they are blinded by power and ambition."

"Sadly I have to admit that that is true of our kind," Aragorn conceded, "but know that such flaws are not only limited to kings."

All this was taken into account and the firebender continued his story, relieved that his audience remained interested.

After the general description of his country and family, Zuko skipped a part in his childhood, not knowing how he would be able to discuss such a painful episode in his past. He decided to jump straight to that fateful Agni Kai where his father banished him. He finally addressed the question of his scar, one that all of them had been eager to hear about. He then explained the conditions of his banishment and spoke of the years he had wandered in vain, seeking only to restore his honor.

This time, the shock that registered on all their faces was great indeed and they all felt outraged at such cruel treatment of a son by his own father. Even the hobbits refrained from saying anything, for fear of being dreadfully inappropriate. Aragorn and Gandalf stared at the young prince gravely and admired his strength. Already the respect they all had for him had grown after this account, and Zuko felt suddenly embarrassed by all the attention.

But there was no one more shocked about this revelation than Katara. After hearing how Ozai had scarred his son, she better understood why Zuko had acted the way he did back then. So many things were growing clear to her now, and though she could not forget his actions, all he had done was now in a proper perspective. She felt mingled pity and admiration for him, and also a slight guilt at all the negative thoughts she had once harbored against him.

Zuko continued the story as best as he could until he finally reached the point where he and his Uncle Iroh were living peacefully in disguise in Ba Sing Se.

"Forgive me, then, for having disrupted your serenity," Gandalf offered, even if it was a bit too late for that.

"It's all right," Zuko had answered with a small smile, "I do not regret my choosing to come here, and I have already learned so much in such a short time. It is my honor to be able to help you fight against this great evil that threatens your world."

After this, everyone considered Zuko's story complete and no one asked of him to tell any more. Suffice to say that all the people of Middle-earth who had known of his struggles thought even more highly of their new ally and were very welcoming to him.

Zuko had never been so warmly accepted and admired, and he found it especially astonishing that such treatment, such kinship and support which he had always longed to have from his own family (Iroh excluded) was now being given to him by people so wholly unconnected to him.

Even Katara now was being such a kind and supportive friend to him, in spite of all he had tried to do to her and her friends in the past. Zuko was not accustomed to such forgiveness and felt somehow that he did not deserve it.

He was so moved by their kindness, in fact, that he decided to tell them all of the most painful even of his childhood – his mother's disappearance. Gandalf and the others had been surprised at the firebender's sudden openness on the subject but they knew well enough that Zuko did not speak of such a matter lightly. So they all paid careful attention, Katara especially.

None of them could have anticipated what they would hear. And just when they had believed that there was nothing more in Zuko's life that would shock them, the firebender told them of how Azulon had demanded his death so that Ozai would feel the same pain as Iroh. He spoke of his mother's strange disappearance after his grandfather's death and of how his life had been mysteriously spared. No one said a word after Zuko concluded the tale.

Again, while Gandalf was well acquainted with dark and bloody royal history and while Theoden and Aragorn had seen their fair share of conflict and struggle, they had not encountered anything like this. This made them all the more sympathize with and admire the young man who stood before them, a victim of his family's greed and ambition. They were surprised and relieved, however, to see that Zuko had somehow remained untainted by his family's less than noble inclinations.

Katara likewise admired how much Zuko seemed to be free of the corruption of his vicious ancestors. So much of her initial impressions of him were now completely overturned and she could not believe how much he had had to suffer.

But Zuko assured them that he was no longer weighed down by the sorrows of the past, and he was now ready to face whatever the future held for him. Gandalf and the others expressed their approval at such a perspective and gave him many words of encouragement.

Soon enough the melancholy mood was lifted (by the two hobbits, of course) and before all the heavy preparations for the war, a feast was held at Edoras to celebrate victory at Helm's Deep and to honor all the dead who had stood bravely to defend it. Mugs were raised and cheers were given as the feast began.

There was much food and great merriment among the people, in spite of the circumstances, and even Gandalf had the chance to get some well-deserved rest. Theoden had a chance to observe how happy and safe his kingdom was for the time being, and he hoped that it would remain so for so much longer. To the amusement of many, a drinking game had been set up between Gimli and Legolas. After several gallons of alcohol had been consumed, the Elf easily bested his companion. Gimli had toppled over in a tipsy mess while Legolas felt but a tingle in his fingers.

Zuko and Katara, of course, had been invited to the festivities, and they had shyly and awkwardly accepted. Somehow, they managed to enjoy themselves in the feast, eating and laughing along with the rest. It was a celebration like no other they had attended in their world.

Katara noticed that Zuko was, for the first time in years, allowing himself to relax, and she was glad to see this. It was a welcome change and it made her more determined to show her genuine friendship towards him. But the halls of Edoras were so crowded with people celebrating that the waterbender was not able to have even a moment alone with the young prince. For everywhere they went, they were greeted by well-wishers and asked to tell stories of their land or to give small demonstrations of their bending. And of course, they always obliged, happy to be of service to their new friends.

They were all especially amused by the lively antics of Merry and Pippin who danced and drank with gusto and sang loudly about the merits of drink from the Green Dragon and of all the wonderful characteristics of their home town.

The hobbits brought lighthearted-ness and high spirits to the whole party and their gaiety was a great respite after all that they had suffered. The feast was also done to banish the gloom and sadness that came from the heavy exchange of stories that had occurred between the travelers and allies of Rohan.

As he observed the two benders carefully, Gandalf could already sense a growing bond between them, one that was strengthened by all the honest accounts they had been giving of themselves. He was happy for them and somehow better understood why they had been chosen for him to bring along.

But the wizard saw something else as well, and realized that Zuko and Katara had separate significant roles to be played in the coming days. Their destinies would lead them down different paths for a time, before these crossed again when all was to be decided.

Though he would not always be around, Gandalf resolved that he would do his utmost to guide the two benders in all the endeavors they would have to accomplish in the near future.

Now that he had seen their strength and courage, the wizard was confident that those two would fare well in the coming days. Katara was brave and had a strong heart. The path laid out for her was one that she could handle on her own. Zuko was not less capable but was still slightly unsure of himself and would need further guidance which Gandalf was more than willing to give.

They would need all their fortitude indeed to be able to endure what was coming, and most of all, to bear the separation that was imminent. How they emerged from this next trial would determine how they would be able to fulfill their destinies once it was time for them to go back to their own world, where the Avatar and all his friends would be waiting.

After hearing Zuko's life story and knowing a crucial fact about the latter's heritage, Gandalf sensed that like Aragorn, the young prince would also have to traverse a long and difficult road before he returned as the king he was born to be.


	6. Chapter 5: Minas Tirith

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: Definitely more action in this one. The past two chapters slowed the pace somewhat although they were necessary to develop the plot. Now, things really get moving.**

**Again, I had to retain some of the original dialogue from the movie to get a better sense of where our two heroes are being placed. And also because I love the dialogue of the movie.**

**Some parts are a bit cheesy/fluffy so forgive me. And I also used the book more for reference since I want to get some of the details right.**

**Thanks for the comments, Thirteen, sorry I can't reply to you personally. I try to avoid using repetitive words but I don't have much time to edit. But I'll keep that in mind for the next chapters. And sorry for not having too much dialogue. Again, time constraints, and it's challenge for me to have to think up things for them to say. There's more dialogue in these next chapters though. Thanks for your support.**

**I've been working really hard to write all of these chapters while I still have some spare time in school since I'm also following a certain deadline. Seeing as there are only a few days until the release of the live-action movie, you may expect quick and regular updates of this story. I plan to post a chapter ever two days so you all won't be left in too much suspense.**

**Thanks for your support.**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

A light, cool breeze blew over the mountains and vast plains of Middle-Earth. The moon shed her gentle light across the night sky and there was a stillness over the land which at a glance seemed that of peace but was really more of apprehension.

Zuko stood alone on a balcony at Edoras, gazing pensively at the distant mountains, and the vast plains before him. Everyone else was asleep inside, getting as much rest as they could and relaxing after the intense festivities.

He reflected on a great many things such as his painful past, the adventures he had had so far in Middle-Earth, and what else lay ahead during his and Katara's stay in that hauntingly beautiful realm. He remembered his unconventional family situation and all the complications that accompanied it.

The prince was quite certain now that when he returned to his world, he would fight by the Avatar's side. It had not been an easy decision to make but after much thought, he knew that it would be the right thing to do. And he was trying to steel himself for all the dire consequences of that crucial choice. But there was no longer any doubt in his mind about the injustice of war, in any world.

He even felt slightly guilty for having delayed doing the right thing for so long. He had been so selfish, so obsessed with regaining his honor, that he had been blind to everything else, to all that truly mattered. But the time for atonement had begun, and he was not turning back.

Then, there was the other unexpected element of his growing friendship with Katara. Never would he have imagined ending up in an alien world with someone who had every right to hate him. That she treated him so kindly and compassionately, that she was willing to look past all of his huge mistakes was a mystery to Zuko. His whole life only Uncle Iroh and his mother had truly looked out for him, and yet here was a person from the opposite side of the war, showing genuine concern for his wellbeing.

Zuko was gradually beginning to understand how the Avatar was able to offer him friendship even in spite of their differences. This time, however, Zuko was not going to turn down such an offer.

He was determined to return the favor, so much did he appreciate Katara's friendship. He admitted to himself that he had a great admiration and respect for her as a waterbender and as a person. He had never met someone like Katara in all his travels and he was somewhat at a loss as to how to feel about her. That he was grateful and appreciative of her concern and that he was determined to protect her from harm he was certain, but of the other attendant emotions that had somehow gotten involved, he was quite confused.

There was too much to think and feel and so many other things to consider about his life now.

"Zuko? Are you all right?"

The prince's reverie was interrupted by the arrival of the person who had just bee on his thoughts. He turned to see Katara looking at him with great concern.

"I'm fine, thank you," he replied quickly to reassure her, "I just couldn't sleep."

"Oh," Katara replied although she did not seem wholly convinced.

She felt worried about him for some strange reason. Even after all the displays of friendship and camaraderie that had been shown to him by the people of Middle-Earth, Zuko still seemed so profoundly sad. And alone.

Katara could not imagine what that was even like, and she wanted to remind him that he wasn't alone, that _she _would be there for him. But she seemed too embarrassed to impose upon him like that, and she was struggling for the right words of comfort to offer him.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," he said quickly, noticing her silence.

"No, no," Katara replied, "it's nothing like that, don't worry. I, I was concerned. Is anything bothering you?"

"Well, honestly, a lot of things are," Zuko answered earnestly but with a slight smile, "but that isn't new to me. Don't worry about it too much."

"It's you who should stop worrying. You've been through so much already. I think you can handle whatever is coming."

"Thanks," he replied with a grateful smile. Katara returned it and tried to be as encouraging as possible.

"You need to rest and save your energy for the coming days," the waterbender advised with concern.

"You're right," he agreed, "and I will, in a while."

Zuko turned to gaze at the mountains again and Katara looked there as well. They spent a few moments in companionable silence.

"I'm sorry," Katara said suddenly.

"For what?" Zuko asked in puzzlement.

"For misjudging you," Katara explained slowly, "for blaming you for our troubles, for the war, for being so unfair in my judgment without really knowing how you had also suffered."

"Don't be ridiculous, Katara," Zuko comforted her (although he was immensely moved by her unnecessary apology), "how could you have known about all that? It's not like I go around telling people about my past."

"But still," she argued but he cut her off.

"I'm the son of the Fire Lord," he said softly, "it was only natural for you to hate me."

"I never hated you," Katara said quietly, "not then, and especially not now, not after all we've been through together. Hating you is probably the furthest thing from my mind."

She paused at this and blushed slightly; glad that the darkness would hide her embarrassment. But Zuko had not quite picked up on her clumsy allusion, so grateful was he for hearing that she did not hate him any more.

"Thank you," he said, "you've been so good to me, more than I ever expected, more than I deserve."

"Zuko," Katara said, "don't be too hard on yourself."

At this, she gently put her hand on his shoulder and he turned to look at her. The waterbender had a caring look on her face.

"You are so much more than just your father's son," she told him, "you're brave and strong and kind. And you always fight to do what you believe is right. You are nobler than any of your forefathers have ever been, you must remember that."

Zuko did not know how to take so much praise and for a few moments he was unable to speak. But the look of pure gratitude that filled his face was enough to communicate his feelings to Katara. Her smile widened.

"The Avatar is so lucky," Zuko said suddenly, "to have a great friend like you by his side."

"Aang isn't my only friend, you know," Katara replied with slight amusement, "I'm by your side too, Zuko. So you don't have to bear everything all by yourself. I'm with you."

With this, she warmly took one his hands in hers and squeezed it affectionately. He looked at her in admiration and gratitude once more, not being accustomed to hearing such words from anyone. But he was able to recover faster this time.

"Then, I shall do everything in my power to repay your kindness," he announced almost formally, holding both of her hands in his, "I swear, on my honor, that I will protect you from whatever evil we shall have to face."

Katara was touched by the gesture, knowing how serious Zuko could be about his honor.

"You don't have to be so formal with me, Zuko," she told him, "and don't treat this like a debt. You don't owe me anything. I am doing this out of my own free will."

"Then, so am I," he replied earnestly, "your friendship has been one of the most precious gifts ever given to me. And I will strive to continue being worthy of it."

This time, the waterbender did not know what to say to him so flattered and moved was she by such a declaration. There was a silent intensity in that moment together that they both did not know how to deal with.

But before either bender could react, their attention was called by a loud commotion coming from inside the hall.

"Help! Gandalf!"

The two benders immediately entered the sleeping quarters only to see that everything had gone awry.

Pippin had fallen to the ground and Merry was at his side. In another part of the room, Legolas was supporting a seemingly unconscious Aragorn.

"Fool of a Took!" they heard Gandalf exclaim.

Zuko and Katara tried to make sense of the situation but reserved their questions for later. They watched as Gandalf tended to the shivering figure of Pippin and asked him some very stern questions. The poor hobbit looked so frightened and yet he still managed to answer all of Gandalf's queries.

The benders could not understand much of what was discussed but they could see that while Gandalf was generally relieved, some of what Pippin had told him was quite unsettling.

A little later a council was gathered with Theoden, Eomer, and the members of the Fellowship. Merry had been kind enough to acquaint Zuko and Katara with what happened. They listened carefully to all the wizard had to say to address the situation.

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes," Gandalf told the council, "he's a fool, but an honest fool he still remains."

Pippin had foolishly gazed into the sinister black orb that Saruman had dropped and had somehow revealed himself to their enemy. But his blunder had also proven to be a bit of a blessing in disguise for them.

"We've been strangely fortunate," Gandalf continued, "Pippin saw in the palantir a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith."

The wizard then began to elaborate on how the Dark Lord feared the united forces of the free peoples of Middle-Earth. He spoke of how the defeat of Helm's Deep had made Sauron determined to foil any other attempt at alliance against him.

"He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a king return to the throne of Gondor," Gandalf continued, looking at Theoden, "if the beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war."

All eyes were now on the king, who still stubbornly refused to help those who had not come to their aid.

"What do we owe Gondor?" Theoden asked ruefully.

Zuko frowned and Katara could not help but roll her eyes. In a time when unity was most needed, how could anyone still bear ancient grudges? But she respected the king too much to interfere.

"I will go," Aragorn offered. Gandalf refused.

"But they must be warned," the heir of Elendil urged.

"They will be," Gandalf said, walking towards Aragorn and speaking in a whisper, "you must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river, look to the Black Ships. You shall take Katara with you when the time is right."

Aragorn looked with surprise at these instructions but nodded obediently. He was not one to question the wizard's counsel.

Turning to face the council once more, Gandalf said, "Understand this, things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride to Minas Tirith, and I won't be going alone."

To everyone's surprise, not only Pippin was commissioned to accompany the wizard to the great citadel but Zuko as well.

The Fire Prince looked at Gandalf in puzzlement.

"You come from a line of kings," the wizard said in way of explanation, "and your fate is tied with that of Gondor. You will be of great service there, when the hour is dire."

Zuko bowed and did not protest, knowing enough to trust in Gandalf's wisdom. But the wizard saw that there was doubt in hesitation in the young man's eyes, and Gandalf did not miss the quick sideways glance Zuko threw at Katara. The waterbender seemed likewise worried.

"Do not fear for the other," Gandalf addressed the benders, "for though you may be separated now, you are among friends and allies."

"I have no doubt of that," Katara answered, "you can count on us for any help we may give."

But Gandalf knew what was really bothering them.

"You will be together again ere all this is over," Gandalf reassured them and both could not help but blush awkwardly, "and when that time comes, you will be all the better for it."

As Gandalf hastily prepared for their journey, Merry scolded Pippin for his foolishness and Katara and Zuko said their good-byes. Shadowfax was to bear all three of them to Minas Tirith, since he was the greatest and fastest of all horses of Rohan.

Merry gave Pippin the last of his Longbottom Leaf and wished him well.

"I'm sorry, Katara," Zuko told her sadly, "it seems like I won't be able to keep my promise to you."

"Don't worry about me," the waterbender assured him, although she too felt sad at their parting just when they had finally come to a clearer understanding, "take care of yourself."

"I will," Zuko answered sincerely.

They nodded to each other awkwardly before looking away. Zuko was just about to mount Shadowfax when Katara ran to him and gave him a tight hug. After getting over the initial shock, he warmly returned the embrace.

Gandalf did not rush them and allowed them their moment. Even Merry and Pippin were silent at this.

After a few moments, Katara let go and Zuko could not help but notice that her eyes were somewhat moist. No tears were spilled though and Katara began to undo something on her neck before handing it to him.

He looked in surprise at the necklace which he had once used to track the Avatar. Zuko could not believe that she was giving this to him. Katara had decided upon doing this at the last moment and she somehow felt that her mother would not be angry at her for this heartfelt gesture.

"Katara, this is…" Zuko began.

"We'll see each other again," the waterbender interrupted him seriously, "and when that day comes, you had better still have that in one piece."

He looked at her in astonishment before finally nodding.

"You have my word," Zuko told her earnestly.

Katara and Merry stepped back as the three riders mounted the noble steed.

"Run, Shadowfax," Gandalf told the horse, "show us the meaning of haste."

They were away in a flash and Merry and Katara ran as far as the wooden gate of Edoras to watch as the Shadowfax put more and more distance between them. Aragorn had joined them as they gazed upon their dear friends.

Merry spoke of how he and Pippin had always been inseparable, especially in mischief. The hobbit was sorry to see his friend go but understood that such partings were necessary in their current circumstances. But Pippin was gone now, just like Frodo and Sam.

Katara kept watching even as the figures of the travelers grew smaller and smaller. She had never realized how much she had grown accustomed to Zuko's presence, how much comfort she had taken in his company. He was off to some uncertain destiny, and he was alone once more.

She hoped that the necklace would remind him of all that she had said the night before, of all that he could be. And this sudden parting had made her realize just how much he meant to her.

"I'm going to miss you," she whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek, "please don't be too long."

The world rushed by for the three riders, and the wind sang loudly in their ears as they journeyed towards the realm of Gondor. Hardly a moment was spent on rest and they rode hard and fast through woods, rivers, and mountains, almost as if they were being hotly pursued by all of their enemies. There was almost no time for both Pippin and Zuko to admire or to even be conscious of the various landscapes they were crossing. All they knew was that they were covering a great distance like a swift-moving dream.

On they rode, from the first light of dawn until stars littered the night sky. Shadowfax bore his unusual burden with the speed and fortitude of noble member of his kind and never once did he falter.

After a few days' ride, they came upon it at last. Minas Tirith, in all her radiant glory. As they approached the great stone city, Zuko and Pippin could not help but marvel at its majesty. Recognizing Gandalf, or Mithrandir as they called him, the men of Gondor opened the gates and allowed them entry into the city of kings.

Shadowfax ran quickly and proudly through the seven levels of the city carved into the hill. And while the noble steed did so, two of his passengers gazed in wonder at the grandeur and beauty of the city, which seemed partly formed by the natural shape of the hill and built by the great labors of man. It was an ancient and resilient city, which had resisted many attacks with great success.

And yet, though it still shone with a brilliance that was beyond compare, Minas Tirith had been gradually falling into decay. Fewer and fewer men now dwelt within its walls.

Zuko looked around him in amazement, again in awe of the splendid architecture and vast structure of the city, which could rival the intricacy and greatness of Ba Sing Se herself. He was even more amazed when he remembered that this city had not been built by earthbenders.

They passed through the seventh gate and the guards let them through. Since no horse was allowed in the Citadel, they all dismounted and Shadowfax was led away. The three travelers entered the Court of the Fountain where there stood the White Tree of Gondor.

"_Seven stars and seven stones and one white tree."_

Pippin recognized the tree from his vision of the palantir. Zuko could indeed see how this had been the court of great kings of old, just like the palace in the Fire Nation. There was an aura of nobility in the place that was very familiar to him.

"The White Tree of Gondor, the tree of the king," Gandalf explained, "however, we go to meet Lord Denethor, who is but a steward, a caretaker of the throne."

Gandalf further explained that Denethor was the father of Boromir and Zuko recognized this as the name of one of their fallen companions. The wizard warned the hobbit to remain silent. Zuko did not need to be told to do so.

They entered the great hall and walked forward. Around them were statues of great kings of the past and Zuko and Pippin gazed at each in awe. Zuko wished there had been time for him to learn more about the history of Gondor and Pippin regretted not having paid attention whenever Gandalf had spoken of it. There was no time for that now.

At the far end was a dais of many steps upon which sat a high throne, currently empty. At the foot of the dais, however, was a simple black chair where an old man sat with his back hunched, gazing sadly at an object in his hands.

"Hail Denethor, Son of Ecthelion, Lord and Steward of Gondor," Gandalf greeted, "I come with tidings at this dark hour and with counsel."

"Perhaps you come to explain this," Denethor muttered.

The old man on the chair looked up slowly and the object in his hands was revealed to be a great horn cloven through the middle. Pippin recognized Boromir's horn at once.

"Perhaps you come to explain why my son is dead," the steward continued, his eyes mirroring the depth of his grief.

And at that moment, the hobbit forgot all about Gandalf's instructions and began to tell the steward of how Boromir had bravely defended him and kinsman from orcs.

The hobbit knelt down before Denethor and said, "I offer you my service, such as it is, in payment of our debt."

Gandalf frowned and Zuko rolled his eyes at this but both were curious to see how Denethor would take it. A small, pale smile passed over the old man's face at this small but noble gesture. He asked of Pippin how he, a halfling, had escaped while Boromir had perished. The hobbit explained how Boromir had died and Denethor brooded on this account.

"There will be a time to grieve for Boromir," Gandalf said, "but it is not now. War is coming. The enemy is on your doorstep. As steward you are charged with the defense of this city, where are Gondor's armies?"

Denethor merely looked at the wizard contemptuously and Zuko was growing worried by such a reaction. The old steward seemed to be a proud, subtle man, whose grief now clouded his reason.

The steward turned his shrewd eyes to Zuko. Denethor narrowed them at the firebender and Zuko could feel himself being carefully examined. For Denethor had long sight and he could perceive what was passing through the minds of other men, so he knew at once that Zuko was not at all what he seemed. Gandalf would not have brought a mere youth to that hall had he not some design or some role for the latter to play.

"And what manner of a stranger have you brought to my halls?" Denethor inquired of Gandalf before turning to Zuko and addressing the young man, "in what capacity have you come hither, to a city of kings in a land that is clearly not your own?"

Gandalf had warned Zuko to be very, very careful with whatever he told Denethor. It was very difficult to deceive the son of Ecthelion, and he could learn much from even the slightest glance.

"My name is Zuko of the Fire Nation," the firebender introduced himself and briefly stated how he was from a distant land. He knelt respectfully before the steward.

"I too have come to offer my services," Zuko continued, "for I wish to help in the battle against Mordor, to help defend the people of Gondor."

"And why might a stranger be so eager to come to the aid of those who are wholly unconnected with him," Denethor asked skeptically.

"I have seen the ravages of war," Zuko explained, "for my land too has been plunged in darkness. And as I have been summoned to help here, I want to save you and your people from any further pain."

Denethor was both impressed and suspicious of this new arrival and said nothing. He was not yet sure how he would deal with such an unexpected and unique visitor. There was too much going on and he needed to focus on other matters.

"You are not alone in this fight," Gandalf continued, "Gondor has friends still who would heed her call. Send word to Theoden of Rohan. Light the beacons."

But Denethor seemed to have ideas of his own and he began to speak angrily about Gandalf and claim that he knew more than the wizard thought he did. Zuko and Pippin watched in alarm, never imagining that there would be a man who would speak in such a manner to the wizard, who would refuse his counsel. But Denethor was adamant.

The steward also claimed that he knew of Aragorn's coming, but he was not pleased by this at all.

"I tell you now," Denethor said coldly, "that I will not bow to this ranger from the North, heir to a ragged house, long bereft of lordship."

"Authority is not given to you to deny the return of the king, steward," Gandalf warned him.

"The rule of Gondor is mine!" Denethor cried out, suddenly rising from his chair, "and no other's! We have no need of any help you care to bring hither, Mithrandir."

It was clear that there would be no reasoning with the stubborn old man, who was determined to use shield as a cloak. Gandalf, Pippin, and Zuko took leave of the steward and walked around the Court of the Fountain, in the highest level of Minas Tirith.

As they walked, Gandalf told the two something of the history of Gondor, and of how the folly of its men had led to its decay. And yet, they continued to guard their dead tree, because they had hope that one day the tree would flower, a king would return, and the city would be as it once was. The wizard lamented how things had turned out, how a mighty city would fall because of the whims of a despairing madman.

For such a great and splendid city, such a noble race to fall into ruin was a tragedy Zuko could not quite imagine. He thought about how much of a waste it had been for Gondor to sink to this level, and he hoped that when Aragorn returned, he would be able restore his country to its former glory.

Zuko remembered the Fire Nation, and how mighty and rich it had been for the past hundred years. But the war would not last forever. It was, after all, but a great folly, a fruit of the same vain ambition which had led to the decline of Gondor.

Already there were forces moving to end the chaos, and with the Avatar's return, Zuko realized that the world would indeed go back to the way it used to be. He understood now, more than ever, what he needed to do when he returned. He would not allow the Fire Nation to fall into the same pit of shame and despair as Gondor had.

Soon, Zuko and Pippin noticed a dark mass, not too far from Minas Tirith, where fire and smoke rose from the land and a shroud of shadow lay above it. It looked as though a great storm was brewing in the distance.

"Mordor," Pippin whispered in fear and wonder.

"Yes, there it lies," Gandalf said, "this city has dwelt ever in the sight of its shadow."

"So near," Zuko exclaimed in incredulity, "we are so close to the danger we're all afraid of."

Gandalf nodded gravely. Zuko had been steeling himself for what was to come but he had never expected the enemy to be at their back door. Gandalf then explained how Sauron maintained the darkness over his vast armies because the orcs had no love for daylight.

"When the shadow of Mordor reaches this city," the wizard said ominously, "it will begin."

For all his hostility, Denethor was not inhospitable and the three were given quarters to live in during their stay. Gandalf had told Zuko and Pippin that they would no longer be taking any journeys, but they were to remain in the city, to fight when the time came.

Pippin was given the livery of the heirs of Elendil, one worn only by guards of the Citadel. The hobbit looked over his new uniform with curiosity and even showed his armor and weapons to Zuko, who gave him some tips on using them.

"They don't really expect me to fight, do they?" the hobbit asked innocently.

"I don't think they give armor and weapons to just anyone for no reason," Zuko told him, confirming the hobbit's fears.

Pippin gulped nervously at this. Zuko smiled at him, having grown fond of the small man, who was actually older than he was. The firebender put a hand on Pippin's shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't worry," Zuko told him, "I've got your back."

"Thanks," Pippin answered appreciatively.

Soon, the two younger ones approached Gandalf, who was pensively smoking a pipe as he gazed at the fire of Mordor. Shadow had spread over the night sky so much that there were no more stars.

"It's so quiet," Pippin commented softly.

"It's the deep breath before the plunge," Gandalf explained.

"I don't want to be in a battle," Pippin said honestly, "but waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is even worse."

Zuko nodded because he was able to relate to such a situation. He had seen more war and adventure in his short life than the hobbit. He knew how it felt the night before a great battle, the intense anxiety, and the fear that gripped at one's very soul. He knew all that needed to be overcome in order to be prepared to fight.

"Our enemy is ready," Gandalf said gravely before describing the various members of Mordor's vast armies.

"This will be the end of Gondor as we know it," the wizard continued, "here the hammer stroke will fall hardest. If Osgiliath falls, then all defenses of the city will be gone."

Zuko and Pippin glanced nervously at the white wizard as he spoke of Sauron's deadliest servant, the Witch-king of Angmar.

They had never seen him so perturbed before and they were greatly bothered. For Gandalf to look nervous was something completely unsettling.

Zuko was particularly concerned by the fact that no living man could kill such an enemy. As much as it was foolish to hope against such odds, he did, because he found that in such dark circumstances, there was nothing else to hold on to.

But before anything further could be said, a pillar of green fire rose from the center of Mordor.

Gandalf started at the sight while Zuko and Pippin gasped audibly. Zuko's eyes grew wide as he watched the fire. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, it seemed to be made of pure evil. For even Azula's blue flames were merely fires at extremely high temperatures. The tower of green that rose before them seemed so much more diabolical than anything Zuko's sister could conjure.

"We come to it at last," Gandalf whispered solemnly, "the great battle of our time."

"I have a task for you," Gandalf said to Zuko the next day.

It was a very simple task for a firebender, but Zuko did not take it lightly. He knew the significance of his simple act and was determined to do it well.

Gandalf directed Zuko to the base one of the highest towers of the city, where some guards stood watch over what seemed to be a large pile of wood. It would have been easy enough for him to send a fire blast to this but he had been instructed to be as discreet as he could. It was not yet the time to reveal his abilities.

Zuko found a slightly higher part of the city that gave him a clear shot of the pile of wood. It was also a busy area where people went about their business without paying heed to an ordinary-looking boy. As nonchalantly as he could, Zuko shot a small fire dart at the pile of wood. It was small enough not to call attention to itself but hot enough to ignite all the branches. Zuko smiled at his handiwork and discreetly walked away before anyone noticed him.

In moments, a large fire was burning atop the tower, and the guards there, who had been in the midst of their morning meal, were unable to extinguish the fiercely burning flames. The beacon had been lit.

"Nicely done, Zuko," Gandalf whispered proudly as he gazed from another part of the city. In the distance, the wizard saw that the next beacon, Amon Dîn, had seen the signal and had followed suit.

"Hope is kindled," he said with satisfaction, knowing that the news would spread swiftly across the land.

And so the fire had spread, from Minas Tirith to Amon Dîn and Eilenach. Through the mountains of the west, the flames spread further to Nardol, Erelas, Min-Rimmon, Calenhad, and finally to Halifirien on the borders of Rohan.

It was Aragorn who first caught sight of the beacon, and as soon as he was sure of what he saw, he ran as fast as his feet could carry him to let Theoden know of this development.

Bursting into the hall of the king, Aragorn cried out, "The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit!"

Katara had looked up at the mention of Minas Tirith and she found herself wondering about Zuko. How did this news show the gravity of the situation? Was there still hope?

"Gondor calls for aid," Aragorn said breathlessly.

Now, all eyes were on the king, waiting in suspense for his response.

"Then, Rohan will answer," Theoden replied with conviction, "muster the Rohirrim!"

Theoden was no fool. He could finally see that it was before the walls of Minas Tirith that the doom of their time would be decided.


	7. Chapter 6: The Siege of Gondor

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: As you may have noticed, I really love the parts in Minas Tirith. You won't be seeing much of Frodo and Sam in this story since they're off in Mordor, trying to deliver the Ring to its doom. I didn't want to plunge our benders into that mix. It would be too traumatic.**

**The events in Rohan and Gondor were always my favorite parts of the books and movies so we'll be sticking there. Sorry again for the fast pace. Much has to happen in every chapter and while I still have some free time.**

**Hope you like this one. Reviews are much loved. **

**CHAPTER SIX**

Gandalf had seen, before anyone else, the retreat of the soldiers of Gondor from Osgiliath. The wizard had already known that Mordor's orcs had marched out from Minas Morgul and crossed the river. The meager defenses of the troops there would be no match for the masses of bloodthirsty orcs.

So Gandalf, Pippin, and Zuko rode out once more, to meet the men of Osgiliath as they rushed to the city. The wizard saw that the men were being pursued by the Nazgûl, whose vicious winged Shadows attacked the fleeing soldiers. The very sound of the black riders, that horrible, screeching noise, was enough to upset the horses and to strike great fear into the hearts of the soldiers.

Zuko had never seen creatures as terrible as the winged Shadows, hideous creatures which had not the majesty of dragons. But swallowing his fear and repulsion, the firebender did his best to attack them with blasts of fire. Some he was able to drive off, but they were able to resist his attacks.

Gandalf took charge by raising his staff, which emitted a shaft of brilliant white light that seemed to scare the Nazgûl off, at least temporarily. The wizard and the remaining soldiers rode back into the city.

Once inside, a soldier called out to Gandalf. It was Faramir, Denethor's younger son.

"Mithrandir," cried he, "they broke through our defenses. They've taken the bridge and the west bank. Battalions of orcs are crossing the river."

Gandalf frowned at this news, some of his fears realized. He then noticed, however, that the soldier was staring intently at Pippin, as if in slight recognition. The hobbit looked away in embarrassment.

After speaking a bit more with Faramir, Gandalf learned of Frodo's location and was relieved to know that the Ringbearer was making progress. But the path they had taken was a dangerous one and Gandalf demanded Faramir to give him all the details.

Later on, Gandalf introduced Zuko to the son of Denethor and there was instant respect between them. Faramir thanked Zuko for the help he had given during the retreat and Zuko humbly said it was nothing.

The fire prince could already see what a noble and brave leader the steward's younger son was. And yet, Zuko sensed, recalling Denethor's grief at the death of his older son, that Faramir was the least loved. Such familiar circumstances brought a pang to the firebender and he felt an immediate connection with Faramir.

The latter's cold reception by his father only confirmed all of Zuko's suspicions. Denethor was none too pleased with the way Osgiliath had fallen. He blamed this defeat on Faramir's ineptitude as a leader. Denethor was further angered by the news that Faramir let Frodo and the ring enter Mordor.

"I did what I judged to be right," Faramir had said.

But it was clear that Denethor thought little of this. Faramir was dismissed without any further discussion. In the meantime, all the men in Minas Tirith grew worried, as they watched Osgiliath being taken over by masses of Mordor's filth. The men turned to Gandalf for advice and he told them to take courage.

A fast friendship was formed with Zuko, Pippin, and Faramir. There was a gentle and kind manner about the captain of Osgiliath, so unlike his father, that drew the two strangers to him. Zuko could also tell that even if Faramir was of a gentler disposition, he was still a warrior to be reckoned with.

In spite of all the harsh words that had been said to him, he remained calm and strong, albeit somewhat ruffled by all these troubles. Though he smiled at them, they could see that his face was racked with fear and anguish. There was not much time for them to be able to talk about each other, but the three all felt bound by a strong spirit of camaraderie which would serve them well in the days to come.

Pippin had found out that he was wearing the livery Faramir had once worn as a boy. The soldier of Gondor was fascinated by the hobbit, even if he had already encountered Frodo and Sam. Pippin was of a livelier and more mischievous temper than the other two and also proved to be quite loquacious although not less valiant than any man of Gondor.

Faramir and Zuko also got along well, and Zuko could easily relate to being a son not favored by his father. Both understood what it was like growing up in the shadow of stronger siblings, although there was never any hostility between Boromir and Faramir unlike Zuko and Azula. The firebender could see that Faramir mourned his brother's death as well, although this tragedy only seemed to add to the captain's own suffering.

Faramir was naturally intrigued by the stranger from a distant land and of the great and terrible power he possessed. Zuko managed to acquaint him with a brief account of the significant events in his short life. They did not have the luxury of time they had in Rohan. But Faramir was glad of their company, and was moved by the fact that both Zuko and Pippin thought very highly of him, even when his father did not. Faramir was moved by the tale of how Zuko got his scar, and was appalled that any father was capable of such ill treatment.

Pippin was bound to Denethor now, as a guard of the Citadel, but Zuko was under no such obligation, since the steward had refused his offer of help. So the firebender expressed his great willingness to fight by Faramir's side when the time came. The latter was grateful for this friendship, knowing already how valuable Zuko could be as a comrade.

It wasn't long before Pippin was formally swearing his allegiance to Denethor, and Faramir was once again summoned by his father. It was an uncomfortable event, which Pippin endured with patience.

The steward expressed his desire that the defenses of Osgiliath be reclaimed. And he did not fail to point out that these had remained intact when Boromir had been in charge of them. Faramir did not miss this less-than-subtle stab at him, but said nothing. Pippin watched the exchange between father and son anxiously, and he felt for Faramir.

"What would you have me do?" Faramir asked sadly, although he already knew the answer.

"Osgiliath must be retaken," the father commanded.

"My lord, Osgiliath is overrun," Faramir pointed out.

"Much must be risked in war," Denethor answered darkly, "is there a captain here who still has the courage to do his lord's bidding?"

Pippin looked at Faramir in concern and the captain glanced at the hobbit briefly. Pippin could see the pain in Faramir's eyes but did not know how he could bring his friend any comfort.

"You wish now that our places had been exchanged," Faramir said softly, "that I had died and Boromir had lived."

"Yes," Denethor replied gravely, "I wish that."

Faramir's eyes were moist but his countenance was steady.

"Since you were robbed of Boromir," the younger son said, "I will do what I can in his stead."

The forlorn captain bowed and began to take leave of his lord before turning back, and he was once again a son speaking to his father.

"If I should return," Faramir asked, "think better of me, father."

"That would depend on the manner of your return," Denethor replied coldly.

Faramir stiffened at this but said nothing, leaving the ancient hall with a heavy heart.

Preparations then, were made for a futile attempt to reclaim Osgiliath from Sauron's host. The citizens of Minas Tirith watched in sorrow as the company of soldiers rode to the gate. Families bid their men tearful farewells, and the soldiers themselves left weighed down by fear and a certainty of death. But they were loyal still to the lord of the City, and they would not oppose him. They marched with their banners raised high, but their spirits low.

"Faramir! Faramir!" Gandalf cried out, "Your father's will has turned to madness. Do not throw away your life so rashly!"

"Where does my allegiance lie if not here?" the grieving captain replied softly, as he marched, recalling how he had pledged his life to defend the city, her beauty and her wisdom.

"Your father loves you, Faramir," Gandalf called out to him, "and he will remember it before the end."

Gandalf turned to see that another soldier was marching with Faramir's company. The wizard was worried but not surprised. He had seen this coming when he noticed how much Zuko respected Faramir.

The firebender had asked his permission to join the fight, but Gandalf knew that Zuko was determined to go whether or not he approved. So the wizard had merely wished him well and told him to take care.

Before Zuko took his place by Faramir, the firebender took his leave of the wizard. Zuko had been given a coat of mithril and a helmet of Gondor, and though the armor had seemed slightly uncomfortable, Zuko saw no harm in adding some protection.

"Don't worry," Zuko assured Gandalf, "whatever happens, I'll bring him back alive."

"I trust that you will not abandon him," Gandalf replied, "and for that a heavy weight has been lifted from my heart. But I must speak the same words of warning to you. This is not a battle that is likely to be won."

"You don't have to remind me, I have no intention of throwing my life away," Zuko answered, raising his wrist around which was a Water Tribe necklace, "I have a promise to keep."

All the men Theoden had summoned gathered at Dunharrow when the King of Rohan had arrived. Aragorn surveyed the troops that had arrived and saw with a sinking feeling that there were too few. Less than half of what they had hoped for.

The heir of Elendil knew that even if all these men rode to Minas Tirith, they would not be enough to face the forces of Mordor. He and Theoden discussed this once they had settled at the encampment and they wondered what course of action best to take.

Katara had ridden with Lady Eowyn and Merry, and she had enjoyed the journey with them, if anything was still to be enjoyed at such a time. She was eager to join Zuko at Minas Tirith, wherever that was, and the waterbender could not imagine how much further the stone city would be.

With all the traveling they had been doing from Helm's Deep to Edoras to Dunharrow, and soon, to Gondor, the waterbender was beginning to see just how vast and rich a world Middle-Earth was. They had journeyed swiftly so there had been little time to admire the surroundings or learn more about the history of the places they were passing.

Feeling all the exhaustion and hassle of traveling on horseback, Katara really missed the comfort of traveling on the soft, comfortable back of a sky-bison. She wondered how her friends were doing back in their world, and hoped that they would not be worrying too much about her.

She suddenly remembered that there were so many people back home who would miss her – Aang, Toph, Sokka, and even Momo and Appa. Not to mention all the friends they had made along their journey, as well as the rest of her family. She missed them as well.

But she also realized that there were not a lot of people who felt the same for Zuko. As far as she knew, only Iroh was concerned about his welfare, for the rest of his family would have readily seen him dead. It was a sorry state of affairs that she intended to rectify when they returned, whenever that would be.

War was at hand, and there was no time to waste. Katara found it strange that the state of war in this world was still so much different from that in hers. Somehow, there was a greater urgency in Middle-earth, and the enemy they were facing here was darker and more sinister than anything the Fire Lord could ever be. A shadow hung about the land so powerful that everyone was affected by it.

Hope hung by a thread in such a forlorn world while back home, they still had the Avatar, and so many people were willing to stand up against the Fire Nation. Katara wondered how the darkness had spread so menacingly across a hauntingly beautiful land, which had a rich history and hardy folk dwelling in it. Naught but death seemed to hover above them, even in the daylight, and Katara wished there was something more she could do to lift everyone's spirits.

While at camp, the waterbender spent most of her time with Eowyn and Merry. Katara watched as the shieldmaiden of Rohan fitted the hobbit with the livery of an esquire of Rohan. Merry seemed as enthusiastic as ever to join the fight and so hurried to the smithy to have his blade sharpened.

Katara heard how Eowyn had been discouraged by her brother to join the battle.

"War is the province of men," Eomer had told her, although not unkindly.

Katara comforted her friend and told her not to be bothered by what the men thought.

"They need all the help they can get," the waterbender said, "although they're too proud to admit it."

She then told Eowyn the story of how she had convinced Master Pakku to take her as a waterbending student, and how she had surpassed all of his expectations.

"You come from a land with strangely conflicting customs," Eowyn remarked at this, "but you seem to have triumphed over every adversity."

"I've been really lucky with the friends I made," Katara said, "and I shall always be grateful for their support in times of trouble."

The two women continued to talk for some time, as the men-folk sharpened their swords and prepared for the long ride to Gondor at dawn. Later on, Katara went over to speak with Legolas and Gimli who were both waiting for Aragorn to emerge from a very important meeting.

"Lord Elrond has arrived," Legolas explained, "and he shall tell Aragorn which path he needs to take next."

"And we're going to make sure he doesn't try to go off on his own," Gimli said with a knowing smile.

Legolas further explained the situation to Katara, giving more details on Aragorn's heritage and stating the significance of the sword that Elrond was giving to the future king. Katara was glad that they had the patience to explain things to her since the history and background of everyone in Middle-earth seemed so profoundly complicated. She was relieved that Aang's destiny was not quite so intricate, but this was only because she knew little of the past Avatars and their own confusing histories.

A little later, Aragorn had readied his horse and was making to leave. He could not refuse the company of Legolas and Gimli and he remembered Gandalf's words to him. Politely, he invited Katara to join them although there was no real need for that. As much as she was fond of Merry and Eowyn, the waterbender trusted Gandalf's wisdom and was excited to see what would happen next. She had no intention of letting Zuko have all the adventure.

But by the grave looks on her companions' faces, Katara knew that their task would not be a lighthearted one. Gimli rode with Legolas while Katara rode with Aragorn. They prepared to venture into the dark, eerie mountains which had a chilling aura that had made the other horses restless and the men more so.

The soldiers of Rohan wondered why Aragorn was leaving on the eve of battle but Theoden shushed them and said that the ranger leaves because he must. They were not to lose hope just because one leader was taking another road to war.

As the four travelers passed through the haunted mountains, Katara leaned closer to Aragorn, unable to conceal her fear. The silence that hung about the labyrinthine rock formations was empty and unnerving and the whole place seemed to stink of death and decay. All of them shivered as they made their way through, looking around them warily and carefully listening for the faintest sounds.

Katara didn't know how he did it but Legolas managed to whisper the history of those cursed mountains and the tormented souls that dwelled within. A dishonored army of traitors, he had said, who could never rest in peace while the oaths they had taken remained unfulfilled.

While Katara understood the need for reinforcements at such a crucial time, she wondered how Aragorn would convince an army of the dead to fight for him. She only hoped that whatever he was planning to do, it would work.

Soon, as they reached an entrance to the mountains, the horses grew extremely frightened and ran away. Katara could understand since the entrance sent a shiver down her spine and certain death seemed to float beyond it.

"The way is shut," Legolas read the inscription above, "it was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut."

A ghoulish howl came from within the depths of the cave, causing them all to shudder.

"I do not fear death," Aragorn declared bravely before going in.

Reluctantly but resolutely, the other three followed, keeping close to one another in the darkness. Katara kept her hand at her water gourd, ready to fight although she did not know what.

The ground was lined with skulls and skeletons, of both men and horses. Spears and shattered shields littered the caves as well, material remnants of the forgotten army. But there were structures that remained within, and Katara saw that it had once been a city, and now it was nothing but a mass grave.

"The dead are following," Legolas whispered ominously, "they have been summoned."

At once, ghostlike smoke began to surround them and it took all of Katara's self-restraint not to scream. If this was what it was like in the Spirit World, she had no intention of seeing it. She felt unbearably cold and frightened and took comfort in the presence of her other companions.

They walked on, until they reached the base of what looked like an old castle. The spirits were all around them now and they stayed together.

"Who dares enter my domain?" an eerie voice called out to them and the form of an old, dead king appeared before Aragorn.

"One who would have your allegiance," Aragorn replied bravely. 

"The dead do not suffer the living to pass," the ghost king warned.

"You will suffer me," Aragorn answered, unfazed.

But the king merely looked amused at this and let out a loud, echoing cackle.

Ghostly forms were materializing around them and Katara trembled as she looked. She really hoped that they would be cooperative.

"The way is shut," the king repeated the words on the door, "it was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut. Now, you must die."

The ghosts were now advancing towards them and Legolas, Gimli, and Katara readied their weapons, although they doubted these would be effective given the circumstances. Katara really wished that Aragorn would command them already.

"I summon you to fulfill your oath," the ranger said.

"None but the king of Gondor may command us," the dead king replied.

At this, Aragorn unsheathed his great sword and held it before the ghosts, proving his identity. The blade that was broken had been remade.

"Fight for us, and regain your honor," Aragorn told them. And somehow, even in such dire circumstances, hearing such words made Katara smile, reminded of Zuko.

"What say you?" the king demanded, "what say you?"

They said nothing.

"I am Isildur's Heir," Aragorn continued, "fight for me, and I will consider your oaths fulfilled. What say you?"

This offer was met with yet another loud cackle from the ghost king. Little by little, the ghost army disappeared. And then, the living visitors heard the rocks crumble around them, and waves of skulls spilled upon the ground. Quickly, they made their way through the flood of bones and finally out of the mountain.

Once safely out, they found themselves near the banks of the great river. And to Aragorn's great dismay, he saw the fleet of corsair ships that would soon reach Minas Tirith. The king fell to his knees in defeat, while Legolas and Gimli comforted him.

Katara, however, was not bothered by this at all. For at last she saw why Gandalf had ordered Aragorn to take her along. The river was wide and deep, and she felt stronger even just looking upon it.

The other three seemed to realize the significance of their location as well, and they remembered Katara's abilities. Hope returned to Aragorn's heart when he realized that if Katara could do so much with some rain and murky moat water, there was so much more she could do with a whole river at her command. All was not lost.

"You worry about convincing that dead army of yours," Katara told Aragorn with a smug expression on her face, "and I'll take care of those ships."

All of Minas Tirith watched as the small company of soldiers rode towards the Shadow. The orcs on the other side laughed scornfully at them and mocked their audacity.

Zuko could see that they were hopelessly outnumbered and yet still determined to fight. He grew angry at Denethor for having sent out his men on such a futile errand. But the firebender could see the courage in the men's eyes, especially that of Faramir.

Though they knew they were riding to their deaths, they were still going to do their best to defend their city. Zuko admired that in them but was also quickly devising a plan that would not end in tragedy. Minas Tirith would need all these soldiers to fight as they waited for help to come.

The firebender had already seen the vast numbers of Mordor's armies, hosts of orcs that made Saruman's Uruk-hai seem like a handful of orcs. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like such a waste to be riding out with so little men.

But Faramir was obedient to a fault, and his men clearly thought highly of their honor. And yet, Zuko knew that they would not even reach the front lines of the orcs before they were all shot down. He had to do something.

Faramir gave the signal and the men raised their swords. The horses were charging ahead and the soldiers were giving their battle cries. Zuko rode ahead of the single rank, because he saw that the orcs were already raising their bows and arrows.

"Why didn't we bring any archers?" Zuko thought, before calling to everyone to raise their shields and brace themselves for the arrows.

"What are you doing?" Faramir cried out.

"You'll see," the firebender replied.

Zuko then raised his hands and with swift movements, burned down the flying arrows, making them fall to the ground before they could reach their targets. For a few moments, the orcish archers were not able to prepare a second round since they were too shocked by the power of the lone soldier.

Taking advantage of their hesitation, Zuko began launching fire blasts at the ranks of orcs, and caused some significant damage before they were able to attack again. The leaders of the orc army were at first at a loss as to how to respond to such an unexpected tactic. They had not seen Zuko in action at Helm's Deep so his arrival now took them by surprise.

Faramir and his men were likewise astounded by the power wielded by the foreign youth, and they gained some more courage at seeing they had such an ally by their side. But courage alone would not help them win this fight. Nevertheless, they would stand their ground and do as much damage to their enemies' forces as they could.

They now knew that if they could buy some time for Minas Tirith, if they could delay the forces of Mordor until help from Rohan arrived, then their sacrifice would not have been in vain. So that is what they resolved to do.

Soon, Faramir realized that Zuko would be the main target for all the orcs so he rallied some of his best men to shield the firebender from the whizzing arrows. Zuko struggled to launch attacks to break the ranks of the orcs. As Faramir's men somehow fought some of the orcs, Zuko aimed for strategic points in the orc's army, going for long-term benefits.

The firebender saw that they had built large ladder-like structures that would undoubtedly be used to be able to cross the outer walls of the city. He rode as close as he could to the orcs and then launched fire blasts to destroy these ladders. The poor trolls who were painstakingly pushing these heavy things forward now had to contend with trying to keep them from burning down.

Zuko also aimed for the huge catapults and trebuchets the orcs had with them and with a few well-aimed shots, these wooden contraptions went up in flames, to the horror and hysteria of the surrounding orcs.

Zuko smiled, seeing that he was able to not only destroy some of their weapons but also distract some of them so as to lessen the attacks on the rest of the men. He was still being shot at but he knew when to raise his shield and when to burn down the arrows aimed at him. And Faramir was riding close by, eager to defend him.

"Thank you for your help," Faramir managed to say, "I have never seen such power!"

Zuko did not have time to gloat because more arrows were being launched at them and he was doing his best to burn them all down. He then noticed that Faramir had been struck by a few arrows already but still managed to ride on. His sword was stained with orc's blood but his armor was pierced in many places.

"You're wounded!" Zuko cried in alarm, surprised that Faramir could even move.

Faramir nodded, and Zuko then burned another arrow that was about to hit the already injured soldier.

There wasn't much time left. Zuko looked around him to see that there were some members of their company who still survived but many had already fallen, as expected. Even if they made a dent on the army of Mordor, there was not much they could do now. They needed to retreat.

"You've done the best that you could," Zuko told Faramir breathlessly, "now, it's time you save yourself and the rest of the men who are still standing. Return to the city now!"

Faramir nodded faintly and managed to shout, "Fall back! Fall back to Minas Tirith!" to the remaining men.

To ease their return, Zuko burned a line of large flames, creating a barrier between the orcs and the retreating soldiers. Then, he rode as fast as he could, with the rest of the soldiers, as they made their way across the plain back to the safety of the city.

The wall of fire managed to keep the orcs from pursuing them, at least temporarily, but Zuko was too busy running to be able to burn and destroy all the arrows that were whizzing through the air. Unable to evade the attacks, some of the men still fell and there was no more opportunity to stop and help them.

Zuko was frustrated that he could not do any more for them but he had no choice. He rode closer to the already swooning figure of Faramir, and Zuko saw that the brave soldier had been pierced by more arrows than he had initially noticed. The firebender supported the captain as they, and a very few others managed to ride back to the city. Zuko also noticed that the arrows had been poisoned and so Faramir was fast losing consciousness.

"Hold on!" the firebender urged, "you have to hold on!"

At the sight of the handful of survivors, the guards of Minas Tirith immediately opened the gates to let them in. The people gasped in horror and sorrow at the sight of so few survivors, and some mortally wounded.

Zuko called for help and some guards of the Citadel quickly arrived to take care of Faramir's unconscious body. Zuko instructed them to find a doctor to tend to Faramir's injuries but they said nothing and only gravely carried the body up to where Denethor was waiting.

Leaving Faramir in their hands, since he had fulfilled the promise of bringing him back alive, The firebender then panted heavily and began to sway from exhaustion.

Some of the soldiers around quickly went to support him and the people all applauded and cheered for the foreign hero. But Zuko was too tired and too worried to be able to properly take in all their praise.

Even as he tried to catch his breath, the fire prince was already racking his brain for a plan, for a good defensive strategy against the armies of Mordor. Now, that he had seen what they were up against, he understood that the battle of Helm's Deep was but a taste of the horrors they were all going to face.

There was so much preparation that needed to be done before the host of Sauron was at their door, and whatever barriers of fire he had left would not last long against the vast armies of the shadow.

"Gandalf!" Zuko cried out, "where is Gandalf?"

But he was met with confused and puzzled stares by the people around. He then remembered that the people of Gondor knew Gandalf by another name. Why this was so he could not understand. It was such an inconvenience to have so many things to remember at such a crucial time.

Calming down for a few moments to think, Zuko remembered the name Faramir had used.

"Mithrandir," he said with more conviction, and seeing the light of recognition on people's faces, he continued, "please, I need to speak with Mithrandir!"

Immediately, people scrambled to find the white rider while others gathered around Zuko, surprisingly respecting his authority and asking him for orders. The firebender could see the fear in the eyes of the soldiers and he tried his best to encourage them.

The enemies he had seen were uglier and more terrible than any he had ever encountered, and he did not think that there were such vile creatures in his world. The great storm had arrived and the great eye was fixed upon the free, determined to destroy every last one of them. Zuko could not be sure of how they would hold out against such a menacing foe.

But now that he had seen the people of Gondor, and fought alongside the best of them, Zuko felt a great responsibility to protect them against the vicious forces of the shadow. Something stirred within him and Zuko resolved to do everything in his power to prevent the filthy, repulsive servants of Sauron from defiling the beautiful and ancient stone city. The race of Numenor did not deserve such an ignoble end.

For as long as he could stand, he would not allow the city of kings to fall.


	8. Chapter 7: The Battle of Pelennor Fields

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: And more action, naturally, we're getting into the "meat" of "The Return of the King" and some of my favorite battle sequences. As I mentioned before, as much as I understand the importance of Frodo and Sam's part of the story, their scenes bored me and I thoroughly enjoyed every glorious fight scene. I am poor at describing them but I do love watching them and imagining changes the benders might do.**

**Please forgive me if Zuko and Katara might go a bit over the top in their involvement in the battle. After all, Legolas isn't the only one who is allowed to be larger and life. (Gandalf and Aragorn need not be mentioned. It's a given that they're awesome.)**

**I'm not going into the battle of Pelennor Fields blow by blow though, too much happened there to be contained in these pages. And there is so much that still needs to happen. You've seen the movies, you know how it all plays out. What I'm more concerned with is how our benders contribute to the fight (although in this chapter, it will be mostly Zuko.)**

**Enjoy.**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

All over the city there was tormented weeping, even from the bravest of soldiers, for the orcs were ruthlessly using their catapults to hurl the heads of fallen men of Gondor over the walls. At the sight of their dead, dishonored and desecrated in such a foul manner, the people of Minas Tirith could feel nothing but sorrow and rage. They mourned the brave men who had fallen to protect the city, and they grew furious at the vile creatures who now dared to attack them. There was more reason to fight back now, to at least avenge the dead who had been so shamelessly defiled.

Zuko shuddered at the sight of these bloodied heads, having never seen such depravity before. He wept with the rest since he had had the chance to fight alongside these men, and he grew fiercely determined to defend the city from such ignoble foes.

The firebender climbed up to the walls of Minas Tirith, and with the remaining frightened soldiers, he gazed down upon the hosts of orcs who were resolutely marching towards them. Again, he saw how different this battle would be from Helm's Deep, and again, Zuko wondered where on earth did all those orcs come from?

They were so numerous that they seemed to sprout from the very ground they were trampling upon. But they needed to be stopped, somehow. And though he knew he was not in a position of authority in Minas Tirith, Zuko still encouraged the soldiers to remain at their posts and to do whatever they could to stop Mordor's forces from entering the city.

Reminded of their duty by the words of the foreigner, the men of Gondor began to ready their weapons. Archers launched their arrows onto the orcs below, and some of these monsters fell dead. But many remained.

As he did in Helm's Deep, Zuko aided the archers by setting their arrows on fire in an instant. And from where he stood, Zuko launched great balls of fire onto strategic points in the orc's army, especially those near their weapons. Again, the distraction of keeping their large contraptions from burning down gave the rest of the soldiers of Minas Tirith opportunities to kill more orcs with their arrows.

But the exchange of blows was abruptly interrupted by the bellowing voice of Denethor who shouted from the Citadel. It seemed that Faramir's body had reached him at last and the distraught father had remembered how much he loved his younger son.

"My line has ended," the steward cried out in anguish, "Rohan has deserted us. Theoden has betrayed me."

The steward walked to the wall, and upon seeing the masses of orcs approaching, he realized that Minas Tirith stood on the brink of utter destruction.

"Abandon your posts!" cried he in despair, "flee, flee for your lives!"

All the soldiers looked up and listened to the words of their lord gone mad. And Zuko heard these cries with angry incredulity.

"What is he doing?" the firebender exclaimed, "saying all that at a time like this!"

But the soldiers had heeded those words and there was now confusion and chaos in the ranks, with Zuko trying hard to keep them together. This was the worst possible time for them to fall apart.

"Prepare for battle!"

Zuko looked up and with relief saw that Gandalf had knocked Denethor out and had taken charge of the situation, as was his habit. Having a great respect for the White Rider, the soldiers of Gondor followed his orders.

"All men to the walls! Defend the walls! Return to your posts!" Gandalf commanded as he rode to the lower levels. And all the men obeyed.

Riding to the top of the wall, showing great authority, the wizard looked to the hordes of arcs gathered in front of the city. Mithrandir's presence was an immense comfort to the men and even though fear gripped at their hearts, they felt stronger with such an ally by their side.

"Send these foul beasts into the abyss!" Gandalf cried.

And at once the soldiers of Minas Tirith launched their own catapults and trebuchets, raining large rocks upon the orc army, with some of these stupid creatures too stupid and slow to evade such attacks. The soldiers were hurling huge chunks of the ancient city upon their enemies, and effectively crushing them. Some of these blocks of stone even destroyed the ladder like structures of the orcs.

Gandalf managed to find Zuko who ran to him eagerly as the fighting continued.

"Can you still fight?" the wizard asked in concern.

"Of course," the firebender replied, "especially if the enemies are so ugly and annoying!"

"Then, I shall rely on you to do whatever you can," the wizard said with complete trust before going off to other parts of the wall to help the other soldiers.

Zuko nodded and ran off to see how best he could help. The orcs were using their catapults now and also launching large rocks towards the city. There was no way for the men to counter such attacks and the damage would be very great indeed.

The firebender was thinking fast, trying to find a solution. Then, he remembered that the Earth Kingdom had used such methods before. And firebenders had always managed to subdue them. How else would they have been able to keep the war raging for so long?

"I've got it!" Zuko realized excitedly, and he quickly ran towards where the nearest rock was about to crash into the city.

The soldiers watched incredulously as the foreigner tried to get into the direct path of the flying rock.

"My lord," they cried, "you have to get out of the way!"

"Trust me," Zuko replied to them, getting into a proper stance, "I got this."

And with a swift and fluid movement, Zuko shot a sharp blast of fire towards a specific spot on the rock that was flying towards him. If he calculated correctly, it would work.

The rock exploded in mid-air with millions of tiny pieces falling harmlessly on the walls. Both orcs and men gaped at this in awe and disbelief. Zuko smiled smugly at his accomplishment.

Even Gandalf had paused to see what the commotion was all about. When the wizard witnessed what had happened, he smiled proudly.

"Well done," Gandalf whispered with satisfaction.

There was less to worry about now that Zuko was strong enough to fight again.

Proud of his handiwork, Zuko turned to see gaping faces staring at him.

"Well, don't just stand there," the prince ordered, "we have a city to defend!"

At once, the soldiers recollected themselves and all returned to their posts and to their tasks with greater spirits. They marveled at the strength possessed by both the white wizard and the stranger who wielded fire. There was still hope for them all.

So Zuko continued to use his firebending to blast the rocks into oblivion, although he was not able to destroy all the flying rocks since he was just one firebender and the orcs had many catapults at their disposal.

After a while, when the orcs had temporarily stopped using the catapults, Zuko joined the other soldiers and tried to organize them and to instruct them on more effective battle formations and strategies. The prince of the Fire Nation was not about to let years of military training go to waste.

And though many of the soldiers were a lot older than the young commander, they respected his opinions and took his suggestions seriously. He had proven himself in battle and they were ready to follow his instructions.

Soon the orcs were launching flaming rocks at the city, which only gave Zuko more ideas. The temporary pause in firebending had restored some of his energy and since the sun was still high in the sky, Zuko did not feel faint.

This time, he used a different approach, one involving blasting greater fire at the burning rocks, pushing them backwards so that they fell upon the hapless orcs below. Again, while Zuko was unable to stop all these rocks from hitting the city, he was able to push back a good number.

This made the orcs more and more afraid and wary of him and many a time did they attempt to shoot down the one who wielded fire. But the soldiers of Gondor knew enough to guard Zuko while he was firebending, and he was never hit by any arrow or blade of Mordor.

More burning arrows flew from Minas Tirith and many of the lesser orcs had already fallen.

But the forces of Mordor had even more sinister enemies, who now arrived to strengthen their campaign.

Piercing the air with their ear-shattering screeches, the Nazgûl and their winged mounts swooped down upon Minas Tirith, spreading terror and chaos among the soldiers. Mordor had unleashed some its most powerful weapons and the remaining soldiers in the stone city were hard-pressed to defend themselves against such mighty horrors.

For the deafening, high-pitched screams or sounds which came from the Nazgûl did more than intimidate. These unbearable noises awoke fear and terror in the soldiers and distracted them from their purposes.

Pippin covered his ears in fright as the Nazgûl approached. Having encountered them before, the hobbit knew what evil they were capable of. And yet, while he was more familiar with the Nazgûl than the others in Minas Tirith, he was not less afraid.

"Not them again!" Zuko cried out as he covered his ears and flee from the path of the black riders.

He had seen them briefly when Faramir had first arrived in Minas Tirith but Gandalf had somehow sent them away. But Gandalf was busy on the other side of the walls and the howling sound from them was maddening. All around him, men were screaming as they ran, trying to keep out of the Nazgûl's reach.

With his hands firmly pressed against his ears, Zuko tried to figure out how to get rid of these new foes. He could see that the riders did very little and relied on their flying beasts to destroy parts of the city and to grab and drop many soldiers. Those horrid winged creatures were ugly and repulsive and yet gave such a great advantage to their riders.

The Nazgûl had but to steer their mounts in strategic directions and just look menacingly at the people of Minas Tirith for them to be successful.

Several times Zuko had blasted fire at the Nazgûl but to no avail. They were quick to avoid his attacks and he was too disturbed by their chilling presence to be able to send stronger blows. The firebender sought out Gandalf and puzzled over how to deal with these disgusting enemies.

But soon the Nazgûl were flying further away and Zuko realized that they had just been a big diversion so that the towers filled with orcs could approach the walls. The archers were doing their best to kill the large, hideous creatures pushing these towers forward.

Zuko looked down and then made a face as he looked at the huge beasts.

"What in the world are those?" he asked of a soldier nearby, while he blasted one of the strange creatures and it effectively began to burn to death.

"Trolls, my lord," the soldier replied quickly, "and we need to get rid of them."

Zuko continued blasting fire at the trolls and alternated with throwing fire at the wooden towers. Then, he thought of something else.

"Stand back!" the firebender told the soldiers and they immediately complied.

Taking a deep breath, the prince summoned a huge mass of flames which he pushed towards the tower of orcs. The whole thing was ablaze and the screams of the burning orcs could be heard from inside. A cheer was heard from the men of Minas Tirith.

Zuko ran as fast as he could towards the other towers and managed to destroy a few more before he needed to pause and regain some of his energy. Greatly respecting him, the soldiers rallied around him to make sure that he was not harmed.

But there were still so many orcs remaining and now they marched towards the gates of Minas Tirith with a large battering ram to try and breach the entrance. The archers shot down as many orcs as they could and it was clear that the gate was not about to fall.

"What's that?" one of the soldiers cried in alarm and all eyes followed where he pointed.

With horror the soldiers of Minas Tirith saw that the armies of Mordor had an enormous wolf's head battering-ram with fire in its mouth. Huge trolls were pushing this monstrous contraption towards the city and it looked like whatever it was, it would be strong enough to break down the gate.

"Grond! Grond! Grond!" the orcs chanted with glee, cheering on that humongous wolf's head.

"That," Zuko muttered, "doesn't look good."

He was thinking fast of a possible solution. He regretted that his firebending was only good at a certain range. He needed to stop the orcs from entering the city. He needed to get closer to them somehow so he could use his firebending. Looking up and scanning the sky for options, Zuko had a crazy idea.

"It's risky," he thought boldly, "but it just might work."

Making his way across the walls and slashing a few orcs who blocked his path, Zuko found Gandalf, who was equally busy ordering the soldiers and cutting down orcs. They greeted each other curtly.

"What brings you all the way here?" Gandalf asked, "you seem to have been doing well where you were."

"We need to get rid of that thing," the firebender said, pointing towards "Grond" or whatever it was called, "I have a plan."

"By all means, tell me what I can do," the wizard replied eagerly. He was tired of thinking of everything.

Zuko pointed to the sky where some of the Nazgûl continued to circle the city.

"Do you think you can get me on one of those?" the firebender asked, motioning to the winged mounts of the black riders.

Gandalf's eyes grew wide and he frowned sternly.

"Are you mad?" exclaimed the wizard.

"No, just creative," Zuko replied calmly, expecting such a reaction, "don't worry. I know what I'm doing. If I could have the advantage of flight, I could do a lot more to weaken the enemy's defenses."

"Those aren't dragons, Zuko," Gandalf protested, "they are creatures far more sinister and menacing. You can't just mount one of them so easily."

"They seem easy enough to steer once you have control of the reigns," Zuko said, "and I've had experience riding big, nasty creatures, believe me."

Gandalf still looked highly doubtful and the two of them turned to slash down some random orcs before continuing the conversation/negotiations.

"Look," Zuko urged, "all you have to do (as if it was that simple) is knock down one of those riders, while I try and take control of the flying thing. If I can't control it, we kill it, and then, we'll have one less freaky rider on our hands."

"The Nazgûl are not that easy to subdue," Gandalf explained.

"But you are a great wizard," Zuko argued, "I know you can take one of them down."

"Even so," Gandalf conceded, "I still think it's too dangerous."

"Well, do you have any other ideas?" Zuko asked urgently.

"Not at the moment, no," Gandalf had to concede, "I have too much on my mind already."

"Then, please take a chance on my plan," Zuko asked, "we don't have a lot of options left."

Gandalf sighed. He admired the firebender's eagerness to fight and his impulsive behavior. Zuko was really proving to be a valuable addition to the alliance of free peoples of Middle-earth, even though he was not of this world.

Theoden was surely on his way with whatever troops he could muster. Minas Tirith needed to hold on until their arrival.

"Very well," the wizard conceded, "but had better make sure you know what you're getting into."

"I will, thank you," Zuko replied with an eager smile, "besides, all this would have been a lot easier if you had brought at least one earthbender with you."

"Don't question my judgment," Gandalf muttered in annoyance.

"I'm just saying," Zuko answered with a shrug as he followed the wizard to where the nearest Nazgûl was flying.

All this banter was more to help Zuko gather enough nerve for what was to come. Gandalf was well aware of how risky this plan was and yet he had that unfathomable feeling that it would go well somehow. And having reliable instincts, the wizard decided to take a chance on the firebender.

"I must warn you," the wizard told Zuko as they settled on one of the minor Ringwraiths, "you cannot long control a beast of the Nazgûl. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into the Shadow."

"I won't," Zuko assured him, "this is just to buy time until Theoden's riders arrive."

With this, Gandalf aimed his staff at one of the Nazgûl. He chose one of the lesser kings of men and not the Witch-king of Angmar, and the target took the bait.

The winged beast swooped down towards them, howling and screeching, while the Nazgûl used his presence to try and strike fear and terror in his adversaries.

But Gandalf was strong enough to resist this psychological attack and he had given Zuko some power to do the same, at least for a short duration. The firebender still shuddered at the sight of the black rider and his mount but he was able to focus on helping Gandalf push the Nazgûl off the beast.

Combining the white light of the wizard and severe blasts of fire, the Nazgûl fell from his mount, screaming and screeching as he descended on the orcs below the city. Gandalf distracted the winged beast.

"Quickly now!" cried the wizard.

Zuko obeyed and in a moment, he had the reins of the flying beast in his hands and he was trying to make it fly. The firebender struggled for a while, and did his best to remain behind the beast, as far away from its fanged mouth as possible. And then, with a few more forceful tugs, Zuko soared into the air atop a Nazgûl mount.

Gandalf watched the firebender with pride and concern. He was now tasked with the difficulty of making sure the other Ringwraiths would not attack Zuko. Fortunately, they had spread out around the city and had not yet noticed that one of their kind had fallen.

"Be careful!" he reminded Zuko who was already flying towards the orcs of Mordor.

Up in the air at last, and keeping his wits about him, Zuko headed straight for the large wolf's head battering ram that was slowly making its way to the city. Zuko considered blasting fire on the orcs as he made his way to "Grond" but decided against it. He did not want to call attention to himself just yet.

As he neared Grond, Zuko saw that it would take a very powerful attack to destroy the weapon. Successive balls of fire would not be enough. He looked around him and noticed that the sky remained overcast, Sauron's artificial weather to sustain the orcs. There were loud rumblings of thunder.

And just like that, Zuko was struck with another crazy but potentially effective idea. But it wasn't going to be easy maneuvering the flying beast while bending.

"I have to try," he thought, "I'll only get one shot at it, but if I do it right, that should be enough."

Taking a deep breath, Zuko flew towards Grond. But the orcs had noticed him already.

"It's the flame thrower of Gondor!" cried out the orcs from below.

Zuko frowned. They recognized him, and now, arrows were being fired in his direction.

He tugged at the reins, making sure that both he and his ride would not be struck by any arrows. He shielded himself with fire and the arrows burnt out before even reaching him. It also helped that he was wearing some armor of Gondor. Zuko was really impressed with the mithril he had been given.

"But I can't keep this up for much longer," he thought frantically, "I have to do it now."

Flying higher than any arrow could reach, Zuko took a deep breath and concentrated. Balancing on top of the winged beast even as it roared, with the reigns tied to his arms, Zuko raised his hands. He closed his eyes for a moment.

And then, opened them again, this time channeling the energy of lightning from the dark sky through his body and shooting straight at Grond. The weapon exploded as lightning hit it, and the surrounding trolls and orcs were also gravely injured. The rest cried out as the wolf's head crashed to the ground.

Grond would never reach the gates of Minas Tirith.

Zuko smiled as he settled back on the winged creature which was noisier than ever now, having been upset by the huge explosion. The orcs were distracted by the destruction of their great weapon and so Zuko was able to get quite far from them while taking advantage of his position by flying around, blasting fire into the ranks of Mordor.

With a triumphant smile, Zuko flew around the walls, burning down orcish weaponry and blasting a barrier of fire around the walls and the gate so that the orcs could no longer approach.

"It won't last too long but it'll do for now," Zuko thought as he spread fire a few meters in front of the outer walls.

He listened with satisfaction as the orcs wailed in frustration and anger and Zuko saw that the remaining men of Gondor had regained some of their confidence. They were cheering him on as he flew and the sound of their encouragement drowned out the annoying, shrill cries of his mount.

Gandalf beamed at him but this lasted but a moment.

For there was Pippin, running towards him and calling to the wizard.

"Gandalf! Gandalf" the hobbit shouted, "Denethor has lost his mind! He's burning Faramir alive!"

The wizard rushed to the citadel as the rest of the soldier continued defending the city. Zuko now had to fly away from the city for he was being pursued by the other Nazgûl. He blasted fire at them when he could, but for the most part, all his energy and attention was on flying as far away from them as possible.

"This is the hard part," Zuko muttered as he held on to the reins. Already he could feel some of Gandalf's protective power weakening from the approach of so many Nazgûl, and the firebender was trying his best to shield himself from the fear the Ringwraiths so effectively sowed in one's heart.

Then, there was the sound of a horn.

The Nazgûl were distracted and flew away and Zuko looked ahead of him to see what had bothered them so. In the distance, a long line of valiant horsemen, their armor glittering in the sunlight that shone over them.

"Rohan," Zuko muttered with joy and relief. Reinforcements had arrived at last.

Theoden gazed at the battlefield before him and began shouting orders to Eomer and Gamling, distributing the men to strategic points.

"Arise, arise riders of Theoden!" the king cried to his men, "spears shall be shaken! Shields shall be splintered! A sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!"

The orcs had managed to form some ranks in preparation for the charge of the horsemen. But Zuko was not about to make it easy for them. He had been strengthened by the arrival of Rohan and the sunlight, and he now began to blast as much fire as he could on the orcish defenses, breaking through their ranks and causing chaos.

"Ride now!" Theoden shouted as he rode, hitting the spears of his riders with his sword, "ride now, ride for ruin and the world's ending! DEATH!"

"Death!" the riders echoed, the very sound of their battle cry made the ground quiver, "DEATH!"

"Forth, Eorlingas!" Theoden commanded, and the horn of war was blown once more. And so began their mighty charge.

"Fire!" commanded the orcish leader to his archers, and at once arrows had been launched towards the Rohirrim.

"Oh no, you don't!" Zuko cried out from above, and he burned as many arrows as he could in mid-air.

Seeing the great exhibition of fire, Theoden recognized Zuko, and was glad. The old king once more marveled at the strength and power of the strange prince and was very relieved to have Zuko fighting by his side.

The riders charged relentlessly, and cut down every orc that stood in their path. Eomer and Gamling emerged from the sides and the orcs saw in horror that they were surrounded. The Rohirrim fell upon the hordes of orc scum like waves crashing upon the shore.

In moments, all the minor orcs had either been defeated or had been driven towards the river. The city was rid of its attackers through the combined strength of Gondor, Rohan, and a representative of the Fire Nation.

But just as the field had been emptied of the orcs, reinforcements arrived from Mordor. Theoden's eyes widened as he saw the new forces they were up against.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Zuko cried out in exasperation from where he continued to hover above the battle, "what in the world are those?"

A legion of Haradrim approached, vicious men, who rode atop their enormous mûmakil, beasts with long, sharp tusks and short tempers. These towering creatures could easily stamp out any soldiers who crossed their paths.

Theoden gathered his riders and they began to charge towards the mûmakil with all the force they could muster. The clash of army against army was great, but the Haradrim seemed to have the upper hand.

Zuko flew towards them and began launching fire at the ridiculously large beasts.

The Rohirrim were being trampled upon but they soon found ways of bringing down the mûmakil. Eowyn managed to slash the legs of one while Eomer instructed the others to aim for the heads.

Zuko saw how this was effective and began to blast small but accurate shots of fire towards the heads of the beasts. Little by little, the mûmakil fell, and the riders of Theoden were making progress once more.

But Mordor was not to be outdone, and seeing how the weaker forces began to fall at the mercy of the Rohirrim, the other Nazgûl began to participate in the battle, much to everyone's frustration. A fierce fight was soon being played out between Eowyn, Merry, and the Witch-king of Angmar.

Meanwhile, near the river, an angry Mordor official was complaining about the punctuality of the corsairs.

"Late as usual, pirate scum!" yelled the officer, "there's knife work here needs doing!"

"Come on, you sea rats," cried another scornfully, "get off your ships!"

And to their surprise, only four people emerged from the fleet, a man, a girl, a dwarf, and an elf. The three males charged towards them while the girl began controlling large waves from the river, drowning the hideous soldiers.

Some of them did not live long enough to see the army of the dead that followed behind the four strangers.

"There's plenty for all of us!" Gimli cried to Katara and Legolas, "don't take them all down, Katara!"

"I'll try my best," the waterbender replied with a grin, riding on large waves and launching icicle darts all around her.

Using water from the great river, Katara moved forward, and soon began aiming for the mûmakil with walls of ice and large water whips. Even though she had almost single-handedly defeated a fleet of the enemies just hours before, Katara still had the energy to continue fighting.

In the distance she could already see the stone city and the damage that had been done by the armies of Mordor. She saw the riders of Rohan bravely putting up a fight against enemies so much bigger than them. She was not about to be outdone by anyone.

"Excuse me, coming through," Katara announced as she seemed to surf her way around the battlefield, slashing through orc and mûmakil with blades of ice.

Small explosions and blasts of fire caught her eye and she looked up to see Zuko, riding a horrible looking winged creature, flying above her.

She sighed with relief at seeing him safe, although he looked extremely exhausted. She was tired as well, but still determined to be helpful.

Zuko had noticed the waves of water and blades of ice being fired and looked down to see a grinning waterbender waving at him.

"Well, it's about time!" he called out with a smile, raising the hand around which he wore her mother's necklace.

"You're welcome!" she shouted back, as she brought down another mûmakil.

They were aware that it was hardly the time for a friendly chat so they gestured to each other, signifying that they would catch up later. With Aragorn's new allies easily getting rid of the rest of the enemies, the two benders were fairly sure that they would survive this fight.

Minas Tirith and its surroundings were being cleansed of all the filth of Mordor by the army of the dead. There was little left for the Rohirrim, the members of the Fellowship, or the benders to do in the fight.

But Katara knew that there was work still to be done. Her heart grew heavy as she saw all the dead and wounded from both Rohan and Gondor strewn across the battlefield. War was never without casualties.

The waterbender ceased fighting and focused on using her powers as a healer to save all who could still be saved. She could never ignore the cries for help, and the sheer number of the injured made her realize her own limitations.

But she was determined to help, even at the cost of her own strength and health. Katara did not know the danger she was getting into because of her compassionate nature. Little did she know that the more she got into contact with wounds inflicted by the filth of Mordor, the more poison was spreading to her system.

Not the conventional deadly liquid that was easily detected, but a slow, seeping shadow that ate into one's very soul, and led one to waste away in fear and despair.

So it was that when Katara rushed to tend to the wounds of the lady Eowyn, the waterbender was touched by the Shadow of Mordor, and she felt herself falling into a darkness inescapable.


	9. Chapter 8: The Last Debate

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: The battles are by no means over. So much still has to be done now and I'm writing as fast as I can, using up all my spare time.**

**And now there's more impetus for me to finish this by July 1****st**** (they changed the release date of the movie, right?) I will be participating in this year's Zutara Week (July 26-August 1) so if I want to get my entries up tonight, I need to start working on them as soon as I finish this story. So if you're interested in Zutara, you can expect seven new one-shots from me on that week. (It's too bad that one of the prompts was for Alternate Universe and I couldn't enter this story for that. So I'll be thinking of another one by that time.)**

**Don't worry though. This story will definitely end on time, I shall make certain of it. I'm losing sleep but it's worth it.**

**Less action in this one but a lot goes on. I apologize for the cheesiness and fluff. Necessary evils, I'm afraid.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

The healer moved among the wounded lying on the ground, using her powers to rebuild instead of destroy. All the euphoria of battle was gone now, replaced by exhaustion.

The surviving soldiers walked about as if in a trance, searching for friends, mourning at the sight of fallen comrades, and trying to make sense of what had just transpired. There was great relief among the leaders of the alliance, but no real sense of victory for the cost of this had been great indeed.

Katara felt responsible for making sure all those who needed her care would receive it. After all, she was both warrior and healer, the former only because of necessity. She knew about both inflicting and soothing pain.

When she had argued with Master Pakku about allowing women to learn combative waterbending, she had done so to try and drive home a point about equality and fairness.

But now she was realizing that the role of the healer was so much more important in times of suffering and hardship. Not only did she bring physical comfort to those who had been hurt, she was bringing moral support and hope to otherwise forlorn souls.

Such service, however, came at a price, and Katara had not yet realized that all her hard work was taking its toll on her. In her fervor to help others, she had forgotten that she too had been an active participant in the battle. There was no moonlight yet to give her more strength, and the air was still thick with the stench of blood and rotting corpses. But she was determined to help.

And as she walked around the field, the waterbender kept her eyes open for a certain firebender whom she was eager to speak to. She was fairly certain that Zuko was alive somewhere (or at least she hoped so) and everywhere she went, she searched for him. Somehow she could feel that he was searching for her too.

After healing many soldiers of Rohan, Katara spotted a familiar figure in the distance. Recognizing Eowyn, the waterbender ran towards the shieldmaiden of Rohan.

Eowyn was weeping as she leaned over the body of her beloved uncle. Katara froze in her tracks when she saw who lay dead in Eowyn's arms. The waterbender felt a pang in her heart and soon tears began to flow down her cheeks as well. But Katara was still in denial.

She knelt down beside her friend, with her hands covered in glowing water.

"I can help," she offered, although her heart already knew the truth.

Eowyn looked at her with a grateful, tear-streaked face and shook her head sadly. Katara nodded gravely and went to Eowyn's side, comforting the grieving niece as best as she could.

She had not known the old king for long but she had seen how noble and brave he had been. He was a great leader, always putting his people first, and leading his men into battle courageously. He had been very hospitable and had treated her like a guest in his halls.

And though his fate was expected, Katara could not help being sad. There was no joy in such a victory, she knew that now. But she was glad that at least all those who perished did so with the honor and glory they had always aspired to have.

The city had been protected, Gondor had been saved. Katara was thankful that all those who had died did not do so in vain.

"Ever was he a good father to me and my brother," Eowyn whispered as she held the old king in her frail arms, "with his last breath, he whispered my name."

Again the shieldmaiden began to sob, but she was soon recovering from her sorrow.

"He looks so peaceful," the lady of Rohan muttered, "he has finally found the tranquility he had long been deprived of."

"He must have been happy," Katara told Eowyn, "that the last thing he saw was the face of someone he loved."

Eowyn nodded and said nothing. Katara supported her and the exhausted shieldmaiden took a deep breath. It was then that Eowyn realized how much she had been hurt. The lady warrior winced and realizing where the pain was strongest, she looked at her left arm.

"You're hurt!" Katara cried in concern and immediately began to tend to Eowyn's injury. The waterbender laid a glowing hand over the other's left arm.

"I slew the king of the Nazgûl," the lady explained feebly, "but he managed to strike me before that. I fear the shadow has touched me."

"Don't worry," Katara reassured her although the waterbender had never encountered such a deep, dark wound, "I'll take care of this."

"Do not exert yourself, Katara," Eowyn said gently, "this is no ordinary injury, and you might be affected by it too."

"I'm all right," Katara said, though this was not exactly true, as she continued healing her friend.

Eowyn had grown too weak to protest and was slowly losing consciousness. Katara saw that she could not stop the lady from fainting but the waterbender believed she could still somehow ease the latter's pain.

But Eowyn's really was no ordinary wound, and insidiously the poison of the Nazgûl was spreading to the healer as well. The glowing water she had laid on Eowyn's left arm was turning black, and in a few moments, she had no choice but to let go.

Katara felt not only her entire body growing heavy but her heart becoming clouded with sorrow and despair. There was little she could do to fight against the pain, she was too tired. Her head was spinning and she had begun to shiver from a strange chill that was settling over her body.

"What is this?" was all she could mutter as she began to sway from side to side, "why do I feel so heavy, so sad?"

Her vision was blurring, and she clutched at her head. Darkness seemed to be spreading around her, and she could not feel the warmth of the sun. Her eyes grew heavy even as she struggled to remain awake. She could hardly support herself.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered as she lay down slowly beside Eowyn.

And for some reason she could not fully fathom, she found herself whispering someone's name.

"Zuko."

Then, as if he had been summoned, the firebender was by her side, taking the exhausted waterbender in his arms.

Zuko had been wandering around the field for hours, after having gotten rid of his flying mount.

He had initially considered keeping it alive and somehow using it again, since it was such a convenient creature to have. But the beast had grown vicious and ruthless after the battle and extremely difficult to control. It had become clear to Zuko that only the Nazgûl could fully be masters of such beasts and since the flying creature showed no loyalty whatsoever to Zuko, the firebender had to put it down.

Then, seeing that the battle had been won by the arrival of an army of spirit soldiers, Zuko went in search of the waterbender. He was eager to see her again and to speak with her although he was not yet sure of what he would say. All he knew was that he wanted to see her.

And he had never expected to see her thus, frail and shivering, barely able to stand and with a dark look about her face.

"Katara!" Zuko cried as he ran to her.

"You're here," the waterbender said as she smiled feebly at him, relieved and glad that he had found her.

"What happened to you?" he asked in great concern. Zuko was so surprised to see her injured when he had only suffered some bruises and scratches, and when the last time he had seen her in the battlefield, she seemed stronger than ever.

"I'm not really sure," she replied honestly as she held on to him as much as she could, "but I'm glad to see you."

"I'm glad to see you too," Zuko replied, trying to comfort her but feeling useless at her side. He was not glad to see her like this.

"Stay with me," she whispered as her eyes closed and her breathing became labored.

"Of course, of course," Zuko assured her and he was thinking frantically about what more he could do.

Noticing the figure of Eowyn lying nearby, Zuko called out for help and his cries eventually reached Eomer. The warrior of Rohan rushed to them and knelt down beside his sister and gently cradled her in his arms, crying out in anguish and sorrow. Hearing this, Aragorn and Gandalf approached them.

Aragorn knelt beside Eowyn while Gandalf approached the barely conscious waterbender. Katara could still somehow see the white wizard as he gazed at her in concern.

"I tried to heal her," the waterbender whispered faintly, "but something went wrong, there's darkness everywhere."

Gandalf sighed in understanding and shook his head. He knew that even a waterbending master of her talents was no match for the evil of the Nazgûl.

"Gandalf," Zuko asked worriedly, "do you know what happened?"

"She has been touched by the Shadow," the wizard replied gravely, "and this is not a wound that shall be healed so easily. But do not fret, there are healers here who shall know what to do."

"What can I do to help?" Zuko asked the wizard.

"For now, heed her request," Gandalf answered gently, "and stay by her side for as long as you can."

All the wounded were taken to the Houses of Healing where they were duly tended to. These houses were beautiful structures which provided comfort and peace for all those who sought healing in both body and spirit. The healers were extremely busy as they struggled to accommodate all the wounded from both Minas Tirith and Rohan, as well as other allies who were gravely hurt.

Faramir, now the steward of Gondor after his father's tragic death, was recovering in those houses while Pippin was busy taking care of his friend Merry. Eowyn and Katara had been brought in and were being looked after by a very special healer. The king himself had taken it upon himself to attend to the wounds of such dear friends.

Eomer and Zuko watched in awe as Aragorn applied herbs and salves on Eowyn's left arm and both of Katara's hands. The women had been touched by the Nazgûl and their spirits were low, but at the expert hands of the ranger raised by elves, they were gradually gaining strength.

Zuko marveled at the skill with which Aragorn performed his tasks. It was amazing to the firebender that such a noble and valiant warrior was also a gentle and talented healer. This was a side of Aragorn which both Eomer and Zuko had never expected but for which they were most grateful.

Once the two women were breathing more easily and their conditions more stable, Aragorn took his leave of Eomer and Zuko, reassuring them that their loved ones would be all right.

"The medicinal properties of athelas are not to be underestimated," the king told them, "and they are out of any physical danger."

Eomer and Zuko sighed with relief.

"But there are some lingering effects of the Shadow on their souls," the Ranger conceded sadly, "and these will only be obliterated if Mordor falls."

Suddenly, the rationale behind defeating Sauron became more personal for the two brave warriors. They were determined more than ever to destroy all the darkness that came from the east.

Having worried so much over Eowyn and Katara, the two men had not noticed their own injuries and soon after the anxiety wore off, they began to feel aches all over their body. Reluctantly, they allowed themselves to be taken care of.

Zuko, in particular, had a number of small scratches, bruises, and cuts around him, but nothing too serious. He also began to notice that his spirits were lower than usual and he seemed to be weighed down by the same Shadow that had overpowered Katara.

When the firebender brought this up with Gandalf, the wizard nodded in understanding and explained.

"You have forgotten that you too had come into contact with the Nazgûl," the white wizard reminded him, "once when we went out to meet Faramir and all throughout the siege of Minas Tirith you have been exposed to their malice. You had even allowed yourself prolonged contact with one of their flying beasts, no ordinary creatures, as you may have noticed."

"Why then am I not as severely affected as Katara?" Zuko asked in puzzlement.

"Many reasons," Gandalf said, "first, I had used some of my power to shield you from their influence. That was how you were able to tame and ride one of their winged mounts. Also, Katara's exposure was more direct because she was contaminated by the poison in Eowyn's wound. And this wound was inflicted by no less than the leader of the Nazgûl, the Witch-king of Angmar. He has been defeated now, but you can see at what price this victory comes."

Zuko nodded knowingly, turning to look at the resting figure of the waterbender. She was sleeping soundly now, and there was no longer a pained expression on her face.

"And something tells me that you remain strong for another reason," Gandalf added, "and that is to be strong for both yourself and for her."

The firebender's golden eyes widened at this, realizing what the wizard meant, and at last seeing clearly how dear Katara was to him.

"And I have no intention of letting her down," the prince replied with conviction.

Later on, while everyone was still recovering from his or her ailments, the white wizard spoke to both Eomer and Zuko. Knowing the responsibilities they would have to face after the war, he sought to advise them on the proper course of action, and he used Aragorn as an example.

"The hands of the king are the hands of a healer," Gandalf explained to the two young men, "this is a valuable lesson that you both should learn as you shall become the leaders of your nations."

Zuko and Eomer listened attentively to the wizard's counsel. Eomer now had a great responsibility on his shoulders after his uncle's passing. He was the heir to the land of Rohan, and now the caretaker of his people. Theoden had left a noble legacy that needed to be continued.

For his part, Zuko was not sure that he would ever inherit the throne of the Fire Lord, but he still wanted to learn as much as he could about being a good leader. And from what he had seen, Gandalf was a credible adviser on matters such as this.

"People look to their king not only for great victories in battle and shows of progress and prosperity," Gandalf continued, "but also for guidance and strength, comfort and hope when times are most dire. You must gain the love and trust of your people, and never their fear. You must be a beacon of light to them when the hour is darkest. It is not an easy task, but it is necessary in order to become good leaders and true kings."

"I thank you for your wise counsel, Mithrandir," Eomer said, "and I shall make sure to remember all your words."

"I thank you as well," Zuko added, "but I would like to know why you are telling me this? Eomer is the heir to his country's throne, but I am, as you know, a banished prince and the son of a usurper. Do you think I shall ever be worthy of ruling the Fire Nation once the Avatar has defeated my father?"

Gandalf smiled knowingly, having expected such questions from the firebender. The wizard decided that now was the proper time to tell Zuko of his heritage and of the possible destiny that awaited him, should he choose to take that path. There might not be another opportunity to speak of such things before the next great battle.

"I mentioned once that there were certain things about your heritage that I knew about," the wizard began, "I believe now is the time to acquaint you with these things. And once you know them, you may better understand why you have always felt so confused and conflicted in your life."

Zuko listened carefully, eager to finally have the answers he had so restlessly sought. And even Eomer stayed to hear the wizard, since the future king of Rohan was interested in learning about his friend's destiny.

"You must be aware, of course, that your great grandfather started the war," Gandalf began.

"Fire Lord Sozin," Zuko whispered the name with both reverence and anger.

"Do not be too hard on him, Zuko," Gandalf warned him, "for he is not the only reason that the war continued, he is not the only one to blame for all the pain it had caused. So many others were involved."

"But he was so consumed by his greed and ambition," Zuko answered, that he did not think of all the lives he would destroy."

"He fell prey to a common weakness," Gandalf explained, "one that often afflicts men who hold power. So many have succumbed to such temptation, Isildur having been one of them. And when you are at the top, there will always be that temptation."

"Which I shall endeavor to resist as best as I can," Eomer spoke, voicing Zuko's convictions as well.

"Well said," Gandalf continued, "but the truth about your ancestry that you should know is the identity of your other great grandfather."

Zuko frowned at this and realized that no one had really told him who his mother's ancestors were. He wondered now who it could have been.

"Very few people in the Fire Nation are aware of this," Gandalf said, "and in fact, not all members of the Royal family are privy to this knowledge, that your great grandfather on your mother's side is Avatar Roku."

For a few moments, Zuko was unable to speak, his eyes had grown wide and his expression was that of utter shock. Beside the firebender, Eomer looked a little confused since he did not fully grasp the gravity of such a revelation. But Gandalf knew, and he could see in the young firebender's face how much it was affecting him.

"It is true, and now you begin to understand," Gandalf continued, "why you have been so confused all your life, how you've been struggling to reconcile these two opposing forces of fate within you. You are a descendant of both the Avatar and the Fire Lord, and whatever happens when the comet arrives, you will have a role to play in ensuring the future of your world."

Zuko listened to all this in silence, still processing all the new information, and the floodgates of memories and feelings had been opened and he felt himself overwhelmed with a tempest of thoughts and emotions.

"You should also know," the wizard proceeded, since he had the firebender's full attention, "that things have not always been as tumultuous as they are now. I believe the Avatar had offered his friendship to you once, and you should know that a hundred years ago, I witnessed the great friendship, a bond that was almost brotherhood, that existed between your forefathers."

The wizard then proceeded to recount the history of Sozin and Roku, before each knew each other as the Fire Lord and the Avatar. Gandalf was sorry that he had not been around long enough to convince Sozin not to continue the war, the wizard had had other business in Middle-Earth to attend to. But Zuko was already getting a sense of where his destiny lay.

And while the prince was pondering on all this, the wizard tried to give some more explanations to Eomer about the nuances of the situation. The horsemaster was beginning to understand some of the intricacies involved in Zuko's fate and he was eager to show as much support as he could to his new friend.

"All this time," the firebender muttered, "my banishment, chasing the Avatar, participating in the war, I've been so lost."

"But you have managed to find your way on your own," Gandalf reminded him, "and that is an admirable feat."

"I've been so torn between what I thought was my duty to my father and what I believed was right," Zuko continued, "all my life there has been a battle raging within me."

"And now that you know the truth about your past," Gandalf said, "you know what you must do."

Unable to give a coherent response, Zuko merely nodded gravely. All his doubts had long been erased. He had already decided on which side to take long before he had known about his heritage. What Gandalf had told him now only served to strengthen the resolve he had formed even before he had arrived on Middle-Earth.

"This is your test," the wizard told the prince, "every path you have trodden, through wilderness, through war, has led to this road."

Many debates were held in the next few days, discussions on what to do next. Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, and Eomer deliberated on how they would deal with Sauron's eventual retaliation. Among other issues tackled was that of the location of the Ring and the fate of its bearer.

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight," Gandalf said gravely, "and the darkness is deepening."

"If Sauron had the Ring, we would know it," Aragorn remarked.

"It's only a matter of time," Gandalf told him sadly, "he has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping."

"Let him stay there, let him rot!" Gimli exclaimed, "why should we care?"

"Because ten thousand orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom," Gandalf explained, immediately silencing the dwarf, "I have sent him to his death."

"No," Aragorn protested, "there is still hope for Frodo, he needs time and safe passage across the plains. And we can give him that."

It was then that Elendil's heir suggested a diversion, a challenge to Sauron to enable Frodo to fulfill his task.

"Let us keep his eye fixed upon us," Aragorn explained, "keep him blind to all else that moves." 

Thus was it decided that they would assemble the remaining men from both Gondor and Rohan to mount a final, almost suicidal attack on Mordor. It was extremely risky but it was also the only way to give Frodo his chance.

Zuko would join in the planning every now and then but since he did not fully understand all the implications of what was happening, he trusted Gandalf and others to be able to find a solution. He would make sure to support them in whatever strategy they chose to employ.

So much was weighing on the firebender's mind and he spent as much time as he could by Katara's side. Katara had not awakened for several days, as a result of the medicine but she looked very peaceful and content.

The firebender spoke to her often, on the off chance that she could actually hear him. It was somehow easier for him to be open to her while she was asleep because he was less nervous in her presence. He was also not distracted by the intensity of her gaze or any reactions from her.

He told her what Gandalf had revealed about his heritage, and about how he was determined to make things right, to help the Avatar restore balance to the world. He apologized repeatedly for all his lapses in judgment in the past.

"Thank you so much for everything, Katara," he told her earnestly, "for trusting me in spite of what I am and of what I've done. I know that I sound silly repeating myself like this but you can't know how much your friendship has meant to me these past days, this whole adventure here in Middle-earth."

"I know that Aang will probably be as understanding as you have been," he would say, "I'm going to take him up on his offer of friendship. And I'll try to prove to him and to your brother and your earthbender friend that I am to be trusted, that I will do whatever it takes to help him defeat my father."

"I shall make up for the part I played in the war," he kept saying, "I shall try to cleanse my family's name, to redeem our honor, the honor that is so important to me, the honor that truly matters."

"I've changed, Katara," he said repeatedly, "and much of what I have become now I owe to you, and your faith in me. I cannot thank you enough. You've made me want to become a better person."

There were a great many things which he had told her during her confinement. He poured out all his thoughts and fears in a way that he had never done before with anyone. And though he knew he was only daring enough to say all of that because there was a chance that she couldn't hear him, a part of him still hoped that she could, and that she would remember his words when she eventually awakened.

Gathering more courage, he would take her hands and hold them tightly in his as he spoke. But for all the daring her unconsciousness inspired in him, he could still not bring himself to utter the exact words that expressed how deeply he felt for her. He was still afraid of her reaction, more afraid of this than any horror Mordor might unleash.

On one of Zuko's visits to the Houses of Healing, he bumped into a recuperating Faramir who looked very glad to see him. Zuko had heard from Gandalf about how Denethor had gone mad and tried to burn his son alive. There was no need to revisit such painful events.

The firebender was happy to see that his friend was recovering although still not fit for battle.

"I'm sorry for being so useless at such a crucial time," Faramir said sadly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Zuko told him, "you've done more than enough already. You need to stay here and guard the city. You're the steward now, if I'm not mistaken."

"Indeed I am," Faramir replied cheerfully, "but not for long. For the king has returned to Minas Tirith and I would be glad to restore the city into his care."

"Aragorn is a noble man and will no doubt be a great king," Zuko remarked, "and he is a good judge of character, too. He will surely see your strengths and give you a position worthy of your merits."

"I thank you for having so much faith in me," the steward replied, "your kind words have done a great deal to ease my pains."

They talked as much as they could of many things, and Zuko had even "introduced" Faramir to Katara. Although the firebender did not go into detail on his relationship with the waterbender, Faramir already understood the depth of their connection. He had the clarity of sight of his answers and he could discover much from even the little information Zuko had given him.

The two men also bumped into Pippin during their talks together and the reunion with the hobbit was a cheerful one. The shortest guard of the Citadel expressed his delight at seeing them again and also introduced Faramir to one of his kinsmen, Meriadoc Brandybuck.

Faramir was once more taken aback by the strange but homey manner of the hobbits and he was glad to be able to make another friend. Zuko had, of course, already met Merry before and the hobbit was happy to see him. And as expected in the company of Merry and Pippin, there was endless chatter and liveliness, even in the midst of preparations for a grand battle.

"You are noble folk, indeed," Faramir marveled at the citizens of the Shire, "for two among you take the perilous journey to Mordor to save us all, one is a guard of Minas Tirith, and another an esquire of Rohan."

"Well, we probably are the greatest in our generation," Pippin boasted.

"In your case, Pippin," Merry teased, "you were merely thrown in the right circumstances."

"So were you!" the other hobbit replied with a grin.

They all had a laugh at this and many other antics of the hobbits and the Houses of Healing rang with the sounds of merriment. Many who heard such pleasant echoes were put at ease, as if a sliver of light had shone into their shadowy souls.

Soon, the preparations were complete and the army had been assembled to make their final campaign against the Dark Lord.

Zuko went to the Houses of Healing for the last time to bid Katara farewell. The firebender had already asked Faramir to look after her and the steward had heartily agreed.

"You have my word that she will want for nothing here," Faramir had said and Zuko was certain that this was true.

The firebender entered Katara's chamber once more and there she lay, sleeping as serenely as ever, seemingly oblivious to all the shadows around her. Zuko was glad that she was still asleep. Otherwise, he knew that she would insist on coming with him, on joining the battle when she was in no condition to do so.

"You're so stubborn sometimes," he told her with a smile, "but who am I to say that, right?"

"Tomorrow we march to the Black Gate of Mordor," he told her, "me, Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Eomer, and all the men of Gondor and Rohan combined. Aragorn plans to engage the enemy with this diversionary tactic so that he can buy time for Frodo to destroy the Ring. It's all very risky, really. But I trust in Aragorn."

He then knelt down beside her and put something by her side. It was a dagger from the Earth Kingdom. He had sheathed it carefully so that it would not cause any accidents when she finally stirred.

"I didn't get a chance to give you anything the last time," he explained, "and don't worry, your mother's necklace is still in one piece."

He raised his hand to show proof of his words even if she couldn't see it.

"I managed to take this with me when we came here," he continued, "Uncle Iroh gave it to me years ago. And now, I want you to have it, to remind you of my promise."

He took her hand and gently, carefully raised it to his lips, closing his eyes as he did so. Even with his newfound confidence, there was so much he could not put into words so he truly hoped that all that he had been doing was somehow reaching her.

"I'm going to fight," he said with determination, "not just to help our friends, not just to save this world, but to try and purge the darkness that has tainted your pure spirit."

It was awkward to be giving such a speech to a sleeping person and Zuko blushed slightly at his outburst. It was a tremendously difficult moment, for he was torn between fulfilling his duty to fight and staying by her side until she woke.

Even though he had been preparing for the battle days before, he now found it unbearably painful to part from her, to leave on such uncertain terms. But however she may feel for him, he wanted to be clear to her about his own emotions. More than ever, this was the time for the truth.

Zuko squeezed on of Katara's hands and leaning over, gently placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Wait for me, Katara," he whispered, "I shall return."


	10. Chapter 9: The Houses of Healing

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: Now, a Katara-centric chapter, because I have been seriously neglecting her. Zuko has been stealing the spotlight so much in this story but it's about both of their destinies being altered so Katara deserves her time.**

**One of the earliest ideas for this story was having Katara remain unconscious in the Houses of Healing. I felt that keeping Zuko in an angst-coma was such a common theme in most of my stories (**_**Sojourn, Tempests, Error**_**) and so I decided to switch it this time. I think it still works. Katara's not in an angst-coma though, she's just been touched by the Black Breath from the Nazgûl.**

**Now, I love the movies to death but my biggest peeve with Peter Jackson was downplaying the Faramir/Eowyn relationship. If not for some short, SHORT scenes (beautiful but short) in the Extended Edition, it looks like they had no relationship at all. And all the screen time devoted to Aragorn/Arwen. (Yes, I know, he is the King and she's an Elf, they're the Alpha couple). But STILL, their story was in the Appendices while there was a whole CHAPTER in the book dedicated to Faramir/Eowyn. (And knowing Tolkien, there were such beautiful descriptions and dialogue).**

**Sorry for the rant but I ship that couple fiercely and they're totally CANON too. Anyway, this is the part where I deviate from the movie and give Faramir and Eowyn the attention they deserve. With my poor writing, I won't be able to do them much credit but at least they will have their place in my LOTR story. (It goes without saying that my main reference for scenes and dialogue here is the book. There is a song in here that is from the book so I am not taking any credit for the lovely lyrics.)**

**Sorry again for the rant, and hope you enjoy this second-to-the last chapter. Updates will be coming almost daily from now on. Only an epilogue after the next chapter and I can get some more sleep.**

**CHAPTER NINE**

Every morning all of Gondor looked to the east, waiting anxiously for news from the host that had taken the road to the Black Gate. No messenger had returned and no rumor had spread since the king and his host left for the darkness of the mountains. Those who dwelled in Gondor had no choice but to wait in dreadfully suspense.

Among those who looked out over the walls eastward was Katara, who had woken up only hours after Zuko had bid her farewell. She had been frustrated at having missed him but she had not been allowed to leave the sanctuary of the Houses of Healing which of course only added to her exasperation.

As she gazed into the distance, trying to imagine where Zuko and the others had gone, certain words began to echo in her memory. There was very little she could remember about her prolonged slumber. It had been a long, dreamless sleep and one that she was relieved to be out of.

But she remembered distinctly hearing Zuko's voice during her sleep although the words were no longer clear to her once she awakened. Every now and then, she would recall snippets of his speeches to her but they were not always very coherent.

She was determined to be able to remember everything that he had told her so that she would also know how to react to him once he returned. She was certain he would because one of the few things she remembered hearing from him was his promise to come back to her.

She had noticed the dagger by her side right away and she had been certain that it was he who had left it there.

"Never give up without a fight," the inscription read, and she thought that it fit Zuko very well. She would unsheathe the blade every time she thought of its owner, and it had become very precious to her.

"You're always going off to do things all alone," she thought sadly, although she realized that in this instance, he was also fighting for her, "I wish that I was fighting by your side."

She missed him terribly and had so much she wanted to tell him.

As soon as she was able to walk around, a tall man of Gondor presented himself to her.

"My name is Faramir, my lady Katara," the gentle soldier introduced himself, "and I have heard so many wonderful things about you from Lord Zuko."

"You're a friend of Zuko?" she asked, rather sheepishly since it was already quite obvious. She was still recovering from the sleep and did not have all her wits about her.

But the tall man was kind and understanding. He smiled at her gently and Katara felt comforted by his presence. His clear sight perceived that she was troubled and about whom it was not a challenge to guess.

"He cares a great deal about you," Faramir told her, "and he would not have you worrying too much over him. He has entrusted me with making sure that you receive every comfort you desire."

"Thank you," Katara replied timidly.

Katara looked at him curiously and then smiled gratefully. There wasn't really anything that she needed in her current state, and the one thing she wanted was to see Zuko, and she knew that that wish was not to be granted yet.

But she was glad to have made another new friend in Middle-Earth, for all those she had met so far had proven to be among the best people she had ever encountered. She was not going to complain about her current state, instead she would do as she was bidden – wait patiently for Zuko's return.

She spoke more with Faramir and learned the details of the situation, who had ridden to the Morgul Vale, why they had done so. The waterbender understood the gravity of the situation and knew that there was very little hope for them all, but she was not about to let the darkness get the better of her.

She had always believed that things would somehow work out and so far, such faith in life and in goodness had not failed her.

As Katara made more friends among the people in the Houses of Healing, she also learned more about Faramir. She found out that he was the Steward of the City and that he was a brave warrior who had suffered much in the recent battles.

She was also glad to hear that Lady Eowyn was being care for in those houses although the shieldmaiden of Rohan had yet to awaken from her deep slumber. But at least, Katara would have another friend to talk to soon enough.

In the meantime, the waterbender was not idle. She realized that though she could not participate in the battle, she was still in a position to maximize her powers. Having regained her strength, she became determined to be as much help as she could in taking care of all those who were ailing and injured.

How fitting for her to spend her days in the Houses of Healing! And all the healers of Gondor were grateful for her support. They marveled at her ability to cure and ease pain with only some water in her hands.

Katara was always glad to be of use to her fellowmen and getting to work as a healer would take her mind off worrisome thoughts. But as the days passed, she continued to try and remember all the words that Zuko had spoken to her and little by little, the haze of sleep was clearing and parts of his messages and stories were at last reaching her.

She pondered on these things greatly and was already in the process of preparing adequate replies for all that he had avowed. The time she had been given away from the chaos of the battlefield was the opportunity for her to sort out her feelings for the first time since she had arrived in Middle-Earth. She had been so busy down the road from fighting at Helm's Deep and destroying the fleet of Sauron's corsair ships.

Katara wished she could consult Gandalf about all this but she knew that the white wizard had ridden with Aragorn and the others. She was comforted by the fact that Zuko was among the greatest warriors in that world. They would never abandon him in time of need.

Every now and then she would take a break from her healing duties and she would spend this time walking pensively in the gardens of the Houses of Healing. She would gaze towards the east, trying to imagine what Zuko would be doing, trying to catch glimpses of the flames and small explosions that he was sure to employ during the battle. But all was obscured by a great shadow, as if to exasperate further all those who were looking there for hope.

She noticed that Faramir frequented the gardens as well, and for all his kind smiles, she could see that his heart was troubled. For he was a man with keen sight, who knew more of the darkness than she, and yet, how he managed to keep calm in the face of impending doom was a marvel to her.

He seemed lonely, though, and even when she joined him in conversations and such, she knew that this would not be enough. She wondered what she could do for someone whom both she and Zuko thought highly of.

The answer came one day while Katara was strolling in the gardens. She heard Faramir speaking to someone and upon moving close to hear better, Katara recognized the voice to be Eowyn's. She was about to join them when she decided against it. There was something about their conversation that suggested she leave them alone for a bit.

"If you will stay in this house in our care, lady, and take your rest," Katara heard Faramir saying, "then you shall walk in this garden in the sun, as you will, and you shall look east, whither all our hopes have gone."

The waterbender knew this well, for she often did the same thing. Eowyn would learn that Faramir was a good companion to have when one was feeling anxious about the future. His presence was always a comfort and a pleasure.

"And here you will find me, walking and waiting, and also looking east," he continued, "it would ease my care, if you would speak to me, or walk at whiles with me."

"He is lonely after all," Katara thought and she craned her neck to hear how Eowyn would react.

"How should I ease your care, my lord?" Katara heard the shieldmaiden reply, "and I do not desire the speech of living men."

The moment Katara heard Faramir's reason for his request and his earnest praise of Eowyn's beauty, the waterbender grinned.

Katara felt excited about this meeting between two good friends and she knew she would have yet another thing to keep her occupied during her sojourn with the healers. All of a sudden, the waterbender felt her age again and had to struggle to suppress a girlish giggle.

Of course, Eowyn's response was not exactly encouraging but Katara felt confident that the shieldmaiden would open her heart somehow. Eowyn had always been exceedingly serious and was still undoubtedly brooding over the fact that she had been left behind again.

The waterbender knew the feeling though she was not quite as morose.

Katara now felt it her duty to somehow bring light and joy into the hearts of those two brave people who were sadder than they let on.

When Eowyn took her leave of Faramir, Katara felt that she ought to greet her friend. After all, the waterbender had been meaning to talk to the shieldmaiden for quite some time. Eowyn smiled brightly when she saw the waterbender and they embraced each other affectionately.

"It's good to see you up and about again," Katara told her friend.

"I am not as healed as I ought to be," Eowyn replied gravely, "my body, save for my left arm, has regained its strength, but my heart is troubled and a shadow hangs over me still. I cannot rest."

"We can't have that, can we?" Katara told her reassuringly, "you and I shall spend a lot of time together so that we can get rid of any influence the darkness might still have on you."

"I thank you," Eowyn answered with a smile, "I suppose now we shall have the time and opportunity to talk."

"I can promise you that we will never run out of things to talk about," Katara said cheerfully, "we must wait patiently for our loved ones to return here safely, but in the meantime, we must talk of happier things, to keep our minds away from all fear."

And so the two women spent the days together, laughing as much as they could while still in the confines of the Houses of Healing. Katara tried her best to comfort her friend during those precious hours.

But the waterbender also had another, sly motive for constantly speaking to Eowyn. Katara had spoken to Faramir on several occasions and gauged his impression of the shieldmaiden. The more she observed them together, the more the waterbender was determined to bring them together.

Katara had observed that the young captain of Gondor was clearly smitten by Eowyn although he was too much of a gentleman to impose himself upon her. Eowyn was determined to be grave and silent although Katara sensed that the lady of Rohan was also growing fond of her new friend.

Katara knew that Eowyn was still trying to get over her infatuation with Aragorn. The waterbender was certain that the king of Gondor had not left Eowyn in doubt as to where she stood with him, although Katara was not sure if Eowyn knew about Arwen and Aragorn.

She did not feel like it was her position to share such information so she avoided mentioning Aragorn to Eowyn as much as possible. Instead, Katara dwelled as much as she could on Faramir's excellent qualities.

At one point, the waterbender had been so caught up in praising Faramir that Eowyn became suspicious.

"You seem to be quite fond of Lord Faramir," Eowyn remarked to Katara one day.

"Who wouldn't be?" Katara began, "he's brave, wise, and kind. And he's also a very able fighter."

"I do not dispute any of those qualities," Eowyn agreed, "for indeed Lord Faramir is a fine man and one of the best in Gondor, I believe."

Katara was feeling triumphant though she struggled to hide it. Was her plan working at last?

"But am I to believe that Lord Zuko no longer holds a favored place in your heart?" Eowyn asked innocently enough.

It seemed like the shieldmaiden of Rohan knew more of Katara's heart than the latter did herself, just like Katara knew more of Eowyn's heart as well.

The waterbender stared at her friend in astonishment, and Katara saw how her plan had backfired on her so unexpectedly.

"No, no, of course not," Katara protested, "Lord Faramir is a good friend of Zuko's and of mine as well. But there is no way that anyone can replace Zuko in my heart!"

Having blurted this out, Katara realized the gravity of such a declaration and for a few moments she had to recollect herself. It was the first time she had said something about her feelings for Zuko out loud even if she had already been thinking about him for quite some time.

The waterbender blushed in embarrassment at her impulsiveness although a certain amount of relief accompanied such an awkward declaration. At that moment, in trying to make Eowyn know her heart, Katara realized the content of her own.

"You need not be ashamed of your feelings, Katara," Eowyn comforted her with a smile, "for I have no doubt that the object of your affections returns them."

Katara blushed again at this and thanked her friend. The waterbender was also quite surprised at how Eowyn knew so much about Zuko. But Katara figured that she was not the only keen observer in Middle-Earth.

No doubt Gandalf, Aragorn, and the others had noticed what was going on long before either she or Zuko had realized anything.

Katara began to pace back and forth in the garden restlessly while Eowyn watched in slight amusement.

"It seems so strange to finally admit all this out loud," Katara confided in her friend, "and now that I have done so, it all seems so simple. And yet, everything is more complicated than ever too. How am I going to explain all this to my friends once we go back to our world? I still don't know what to say to him when he returns here."

"I think repeating what you just told me would suffice," Eowyn advised, "I don't think he is completely unaware of your affections, however much you've tried to hide it in the past."

"I suppose you're right," Katara said with a sigh, "it has taken all these trials and battles for us to realize how much we mean to each other. And yet, had we not come to Middle-Earth, none of this might have happened. So, in a way, I'm grateful for all that we have suffered, because we have gained so much more from this."

Katara looked at Eowyn then, and saw the mingled concern and sadness in her pale face. The waterbender took Eowyn's right hand in hers.

"But the same holds true for you too, you know," Katara told Eowyn, "you must not let yourself be burdened by so much darkness and sorrow. Have faith that something infinitely more precious than all of the things you have lost shall emerge from all this pain."

Eowyn's eyes grew moist as she listened to such words.

"I would like to believe that," she whispered softly, "but it is not so simple."

"Nothing worth having ever is," Katara replied earnestly.

And the two women spoke no more of emotional turmoil or dark times, but they sat in the garden in companionable silence, gazing at the east.

In the next few days, Katara gave up her campaign to bring Faramir and Eowyn together. Not only was she more focused now on the revelations of her own feelings but more work had to be done in the Houses of Healing and she found herself too engrossed in healing to think up new schemes to further recommend Faramir to Eowyn.

Ironically, Katara's preoccupation gave Eowyn more opportunities to spend time with the Steward of Gondor. In the mornings, the shieldmaiden, clad all in white, would walk by the walls, and there she would meet the steward and they would gaze towards the east together.

Sometimes, they would speak and sometimes they would simply enjoy each other's company in silence. There was still no news from the front and all people were growing worried. The weather wasn't helping at all because chill winds were blowing towards the city and the sky was dark and dreary.

But as they stood together, in a cold, dark hour, awaiting their doom, Faramir felt that he would not have chosen to be anywhere else. In those painfully still moments, when the world seemed to have halted in its turning and the sky grew overcast with shadows, they stood together and unconsciously, their hands clasped.

It was thus that Katara found them as the waterbender took a break from her duties. She did not dare disturb the scene and so kept her distance. But she watched it with satisfaction.

She too had been bothered by the bleak weather of late and the silence from the troops. But she had faith in Zuko and constantly read the inscription on his dagger to remind her that he would never ever go back on his word.

And now, as she gazed upon the couple whom she had been trying so hard to bring together, Katara smiled, relieved that two wounded souls had found solace in one another even in such a dark time.

"I do not believe this darkness will endure," Faramir told Eowyn as she leaned on his shoulder and held his hand.

Then, something stirred in Katara at that moment and she too began to look towards the east. It was still dark but somehow, slowly, resolutely, a flicker of light as piercing through the shadow.

For some reason she could not explain, Katara felt her eyes grow moist and soon, tears of joy and relief were flowing down her cheeks.

"Did we win?" she asked of the sky, and when the sun shone through, she had her answer.

The streets rang with the sound of cries of jubilation, and soon a song of victory was being loudly sung. And even if Katara was not one of the people of Gondor, she found herself joining in and singing as the celebration began.

"_Sing now, ye people of the Tower of Anor,_

_For the Realm of Sauron is ended for ever,_

_And the Dark Tower is thrown down,_

_Sing and be glad, all ye children of the West,_

_For your King shall come again,_

_And he shall dwell among you_

_All the days of your life_

_And the Tree that was withered shall be renewed_

_And he shall plant it in the high places_

_And the City shall be blessed._

_Sing all ye people!"_

After that day, there was a great hustle-bustle in Gondor and everyone was occupied with endless planning and preparation. Most of those who had been wounded in spirit were now completely healed and were eager to participate in the celebration and other activities in Gondor.

Faramir took up his authority as the Steward of the City and was soon busy with many important matters. His main duty now was to prepare the realm for the return of its king and he was performing this task with great diligence. Eowyn and Katara saw little of him as he went about the city, taking care of his numerous responsibilities.

Then, tidings arrived at last from the king and his hosts and everyone was relieved to hear that the captains were all on their way home.

Eomer sent word to his sister, summoning her to join him on the field of Cormallen. Katara likewise received a summons from Gandalf and Aragorn (who called her on behalf of Zuko, who was much too modest to impose upon her). The waterbender was only too glad to oblige and immediately began to prepare her departure.

It was as she had hoped. Things had worked out and now, she had only to contend with the apprehension of seeing Zuko again. But her joy and relief overpowered any of her inhibitions and she was eager to meet him again.

But even after all of that Katara still noticed Eowyn looking sad and grim, as she walked through the gardens. The waterbender also noticed that the shieldmaiden had refused her brother's call and seemed to have no intention of leaving the city.

"What troubles you, Eowyn, now when we must all be rejoicing?" Katara asked her friend in concern, although she had a good idea of the answer she was going to receive.

"I am happy, of course, at the outcome of the battle," the shieldmaiden replied timidly, "but though my brother calls for me to join him, I feel that I cannot, that I do not wish to leave this place. I feel rooted to the very ground on which I stand."

Katara smiled sympathetically at Eowyn and saw that the lady of Rohan had yet to admit to herself that she wished to stay because a certain steward of Gondor was not leaving the city.

The waterbender was torn between her eagerness to leave and her desire to see things resolved with Eowyn. The latter noticed the waterbender's distress and assured her that there was nothing to worry about.

"Please do not delay your journey to our friends on my account," Eowyn told her, "I know how much you would like to see Zuko again. So, go, and do not think of me."

"Well, I'm not going to be detained for much longer," Katara replied, "but there is one matter which I need to discuss with you before I go."

Eowyn raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. Katara shook her head softly but with a smile of amusement.

"Can you not see it or will you not?" Katara asked the lady, "you know why you do not want to leave this place, you are just too nervous to admit it."

Eowyn looked away gravely, and in slight embarrassment.

"What are you afraid of?" Katara asked Eowyn in concern and by the pained expression in the latter's eyes when she gazed at her friend, Katara understood the dilemma.

With a sigh, Katara knew it was time to reassure the lady of her beloved's affections. For all her ferocity in battle, Eowyn turned out to be just as nervous and as uncertain as any girl in love.

But Katara knew that this time around, there would be no heartbreak. And such joy coming at a time of victory for all was very fitting indeed.

"He loves you, Eowyn," Katara announced simply, "that I am absolutely certain of. I think he might have loved you from the very moment he laid eyes on you, even if you were still full of sorrow."

Eowyn stared at Katara in earnest and said nothing since she was listening intently to the waterbender's words.

"And you love him," Katara continued, "though it has been coming on so gradually that you hardly noticed. You were too mired in your grief. But now that there is no more reason to fear, you must embrace the love in your heart."

Eowyn smiled gratefully at her friend and Katara returned the gesture. The waterbender took Eowyn's hands in her own and squeezed them affectionately.

"You must allow yourselves to be happy now," Katara advised, "you both deserve it."

Eowyn nodded gratefully and Katara gave her an encouraging smile.

"But what am I to say to him?" the shieldmaiden whispered.

"I think you'll know when you see him again," was all Katara said in reply.

The two women embraced each other warmly and Eowyn wished Katara well on her journey. The waterbender promised that she would return soon, and expressed a hope that when she did, she would see Eowyn glowing with complete happiness.

As the waterbender took her leave, she nearly bumped into Faramir who was on his way to the gardens. The Warden of the Houses of Healing had been worried about Eowyn's continued state of sorrow and so had called the Steward to speak to her.

Faramir greeted Katara warmly and wished her well on her journey. Seeing him there, Katara decided to linger a little longer to see how things turned out.

"She's waiting for you," the waterbender told the steward with a wink, "you know what to do."

Faramir could not help but give a soft laugh at the waterbender's gesture and he thanked her for the encouragement. He then went in and resolutely approached the lady of Rohan, while Katara watched and listened discreetly. She was not about to miss such a crucial moment.

After asking Eowyn why she would not answer her brother's summons and giving her his guesses of the reasons why she refused, Faramir posed a burning question.

"Eowyn," he asked in earnest, "do you not love me or will you not?"

"I wished to be loved by another," she replied, "but I desire no man's pity."

Katara rolled her eyes and slapped her forehead at this and listened carefully to Faramir's answer. Luckily, he seemed to have prepared for this conversation for a long time and the words came easily to him now.

"I do not offer you my pity," he said, "for you are a lady high and valiant and have done great deeds that none shall ever forget, and you are a lady beautiful beyond all the words of the Elven tongue. And I love you."

Eowyn looked and listened carefully, and her heart became clearer to her as he continued. She no longer had any fear.

"Once I pitied your sorrow," he proceeded, "but now, even were you without sadness and the happiest Queen of Gondor, still I would love you. Eowyn, do you not love me?"

The question was posed again, but this time a favorable answer was given. The shadow departed from Eowyn and she was finally open to the modest but blissful future that Faramir now offered her. He took her in his arms and kissed her in the sunlight, and all was well.

Katara smiled at the sight of two dear friends, together at last, and her heart full. Then, she turned quickly to leave so that she too could claim the happy future that awaited her beyond the walls.


	11. Chapter 10: The Fall of the Shadow

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: So here we are, the final chapter. Don't worry though, there will still be an epilogue after this one.**

**I followed the book on this one in that Merry and Pippin aren't in the battle. Not so much fighting in this one but I hope you don't get bored.**

**I just found out that "The Last Airbender" won't be showing in my country until the 28****th****. It's frustrating, yes, but I'm still going to get this story finished by the 1****st**** of July since that is when it comes out for most of the world. Besides, I'll be busy on the 28****th****, it's Zutara Week.**

**So, I hope you enjoy the last stages of this crazy crossover. The epilogue shall be posted tomorrow.  
**

**In the first part of the chapter, we'll backtrack a bit and show the final battle at the Black Gate. Hope you like it.**

**CHAPTER TEN**

On they marched, from the comfort of light into the dangerous folds of the Shadow. Even with the threat of imminent doom, they marched on, moving forward under the leadership of the king, in whom they put all their trust.

Zuko looked around him at all the men who rode with them, men from distant lands, all united to face a common enemy. He saw frightened, nervous faces, both young and old, but none of them showed any sign of running away. Their loyalty was greater than their fear, and he could not help but admire that.

And though he was a foreigner in that land, Zuko walked among familiar faces. He recognized some of the men he had fought along side with at Helm's Deep as well as many of the soldiers of Minas Tirith. The firebender felt some kinship with all of them, and harbored the same hope that they would prevail even in a seemingly futile campaign.

The firebender had also become a recognizable figure among the soldiers. Those at Rohan who had seen Zuko fight at Helm's Deep all knew of his great power and they were relieved to have such a mighty captain leading them. The soldiers of the stone city were likewise familiar with the abilities of the young foreigner, and they remembered the part he had played in bringing down the Nazgûl and many of the orcs who had attacked Gondor. In spite of his youth, the mighty foreigner carried himself with an air that spoke of a noble lineage, and there was an authority in his bearing that no one could deny.

Many tales would be told about him and Katara in the years to come, about he who wielded fire and held lightning in his hands and she who healed with water and commanded the waves of the river. Legends would be woven about their exploits and the great deeds they had performed during the War of the Ring. And still more stories would be invented to attempt to explain where the two mighty strangers had come from and where they returned once their role in the war was fulfilled.

Though Zuko had not noticed it, he had grown more confident since his arrival in Middle-Earth, and he was gaining the manners befitting of a true Fire Lord. His presence commanded both respect and admiration among the men of Middle-Earth, and as the firebender rode beside Eomer, Gandalf, and Aragorn, the soldiers felt that they were under the strongest protection there was in the whole world.

Aragorn was grateful to have so many allies and friends by his side. He knew that a king did not become great all by himself, and had to depend on all those who had sworn allegiance and fealty to him. He was nervous but not afraid in the company of all his allies, for he would trust his life to any of them, just as they all relied on him to lead them to victory.

The heir of Elendil had told Zuko that he need not ride with them, since he still had some injuries to recover from and had already done so much to keep Gondor safe from the orcs. But the firebender had been adamant, and Aragorn found another friend as stubborn as Legolas and Gimli.

Gandalf worried more about Frodo than about winning the battle ahead, which was not possible with their meager numbers. In the wizard's heart, the hobbit still lived, and the old man hoped that his decision to send Frodo on this quest had been the right one. There was only hope left to cling to now.

Legolas and Gimli rode closer to Zuko and greeted him. The firebender was surprised at how cheerful the elf and dwarf looked even in such a situation. But he was strengthened by their smiles.

"Good to see you here, lad," Gimli told him with a grin, "we shall have many orcs to slay among the three of us, you can count on that."

Legolas said nothing but nodded with a grave smile.

"You must make sure you get out of this alive," the dwarf continued.

"Of course," Zuko replied with conviction, "I have no intention of dying today. I have a world to go return to after all this."

Then, he raised his hand to show them the water tribe necklace that was securely tied around it.

"Besides," the firebender continued, "there's someone waiting for me back in Gondor. And she will be far from pleased if I don't keep my word."

"That's the spirit, lad," Gimli remarked, clapping his hands, "for we shall not allow this filth of Mordor to defeat us."

"No, indeed," Legolas added, "the shadow shall not prevail over the forces of the free."

They stopped marching and slowly, the huge gates of Mordor were opening, revealing a glimpse of the multitudes of orcs that were marching forward to meet them. The field was full of the sound of their loud marching and growling.

Zuko felt a strange heat surround him all of a sudden, an uncomfortable sensation of being surrounded by great malice.

"His eye is upon us," Legolas explained, looking beyond the gates of Mordor. Gimli frowned and readied his axe.

Zuko followed the direction of the elf's gaze and saw in the distance, upon a tall, dark tower, the Great Eye, a diabolical, fiery orb of hate and destruction.

The firebender shuddered at the sight but did not look away. Sauron would not have the luxury of seeing him look frightened.

"So that's who we're fighting," Zuko muttered resolutely, "fine, I'm definitely not backing down until that thing is defeated."

He turned his golden eyes to the one of fire that stared at him from its dark tower.

"The fire I wield is mightier than yours, evil scum," Zuko challenged, sending this thought to the huge eye, knowing that it would reach the tower somehow, "and you will soon taste its fury."

The wider the gates opened, the more orcs began to emerge, in vast ranks, and looking as vicious and bloodthirsty as ever. Thousands upon thousands of orcs and all other vile creatures from Mordor were now coming forth, a ghastly sight.

Not everyone was as courageous as Aragorn and the other leaders of the army so many of the men began to fidget and lose heart as soon as they saw the enemy they had to face. The horses grew restless and a number of soldiers were backing away in sheer terror. Needless to say, morale was low and the very hopelessness of their cause seemed to dawn upon them all as the land of Shadow was being emptied of its repulsive inhabitants.

"Hold your ground! Hold your ground!" Aragorn commanded them and at once the soldiers hearkened to his call.

Seeing the discouragement in his troops, Aragorn decided to remedy this immediately. Raising his sword, Anduril, the Flame of the West, re-forged from the blade of Narsil, the king rode before his people and addressed them.

"Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers!" the king cried, "I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me."

The soldiers looked at him in awe, wondering how such a great and strong man could ever be crippled by any fear. But he was speaking the truth, and they listened.

"A day may come," Aragorn continued, "when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of men comes crashing down. But it is NOT this day, this day we FIGHT!"

The king faced all the men with determination in his eyes, banishing their fear with his courage. They could not help but feel strengthened, and at once all terror was forgotten and replaced by loyalty and conviction.

"By all you hold dear on this good earth," Aragorn beseeched them, "I bid you stand, men of the West!"

The king raised his sword and all swords were then drawn, no longer by frightened soldiers but by men of the West, all determined to defend all that is good.

Swiftly, the hosts of Mordor gathered them, completely surrounding the army of allies, trying to intimidate them with the sheer size of their forces. Growling, snarling orcs in filthy armor wielding sharp, merciless blades, as well as huge mountain trolls and other repulsive, ruthless creatures comprised the army of Sauron.

The orcs sneered contemptuously at the men, as if belittling their abilities, and trying to make them feel utterly hopeless. But the men were not moved by these gestures. They stood their ground, few though they were, and raised sword and shield, ready to strike down any foe.

Zuko could see that they were hopelessly outnumbered, no matter how strong and great some of them were. Again, he wondered where all these orcs had come from and how there could be so many of these nasty creatures in just one world. It seemed like the more battles the firebender got involved in, the more enemies he had to face.

As he recalled his own country and his own world, the prince thought that there weren't as many Fire Nation soldiers in all the Four Nations as there were orcs in Middle Earth. Zuko shuddered to think of what would happen if his father had an army as vast as even just a quarter of Mordor's army.

But he shook his head to banish such distracting thoughts. Now was hardly the time to be reminiscing about the Fire Nation. He raised his two swords and prepared for the fight. He would begin firebending until the first blows were struck.

Aragorn and his army moved closer together, trying to form some sort of impenetrable block of soldiers. The orcs approached them slowly and carefully, taking their time so that they could make their enemies realize how futile their efforts would be.

From a distance, the eye of Sauron looked smug and confident of victory.

Zuko and the others could hear a faint but sinister whisper that almost seemed like a hissing sound, and the firebender realized that the eye was speaking to them, addressing Aragorn in particular.

The firebender was able to catch the hissing voice saying Aragorn's name but the rest was slurred and incomprehensible. But he understood enough that the Dark Lord was trying to tell them to give up, that all was lost.

That approach was clearly not going to succeed with Aragorn. The king took a few steps forward, and the others looked on in concern and anticipation.

Then, Aragorn turned and looked at his friends.

"For Frodo," he whispered, reminding them of their purpose on that battlefield.

And with a loud cry, Aragorn raised his sword and charged forward.

Gandalf smiled at this, before charging as well, along with all the other leaders of the army.

"For Frodo," Legolas and Gimli repeated as they ran forward, raising bow, arrow, axe, and blade. Everyone else followed, running furiously and determinedly to the enemies.

Zuko knew about Frodo and though he had not yet met that hobbit, the firebender understood why they were fighting to help him. But he was glad that the battle had finally begun.

He raised his swords, now surrounded by fierce flames, and the prince shouted as he began hacking away at orcs. Seeing the firebender in action, the soldiers of Gondor and Rohan knew enough to keep their distance as the orcs realized too late.

Aragorn, Gandalf, and the others trusted him to hold his own in one section of the orc army so they did not get in his way and began cutting down as many of the enemy as they could. Many more fell as Legolas' arrows hit them and more were struck down by Gimli's mighty axe.

"Out of my way, filth!" Zuko cried as he began to spread a ring of fire around him, burning and scorching hordes of orcs as he ran.

Soon, he decided to sheath his dual swords first and focus on blasting fire at the enemy. Orcs screamed in pain as they were burned and those that tried to run away were met with the fury of blades from the rest of Aragorn's army.

Though the sky was filled with dark clouds, Zuko knew that the sun was shining up there somewhere, and so he fought with greater ferocity. He exhausted all the techniques of firebending he had acquired in his life and had opportunities to invent some more along the way.

He blasted and kicked fire into the faces of many orcs and they fled from him in great fear, not knowing how to counter such powerful and deadly attacks.

Then, the sky was pierced with a familiar and bone-chilling shrieking of the flying mounts of the Nazgûl. Zuko and Gandalf looked up at the arrival of the Ringwraiths and frowned.

Zuko, for his part, was annoyed by their presence and attempted to shoot some of them down with fire. As the fighting continued, the firebender found himself moving closer to Gandalf and when the firebender caught the wizard's eye, Zuko seemed to be asking whether the technique similar to that he used in Minas Tirith could be repeated.

This time, Gandalf shook his head and gave him a look that clearly meant "No." Zuko shrugged and continued to blast fire at the orcs, wondering why the wizard was so reluctant to let him use such an effective technique. In a few minutes, Zuko found the answer.

For as he looked up, he saw one of the flying beasts being struck down by a larger, winged creature, which was strong and yet not sinister or vile. Looking closer, Zuko realized that it was a large bird that had struck the Nazgûl down, and seemed like the giant bird was on their side.

"Eagles!" someone cried out joyfully, "the eagles are coming!"

And true enough, the sky soon filled with the majestic flying figures of the great eagles, who took it upon themselves to throw the Nazgûl out of the sky.

Zuko watched at them in awe in between blasting fire all over the place and realized why his former antics would not be necessary.

He decided to do what he could on the ground before he asked permission of Gandalf about whether he could ride one of those majestic creatures. The firebender didn't want to assume that he could simply command an eagle to do his bidding.

Seeing the new allies in action, the remaining soldiers grew more confident and began to fight with greater determination and ferocity. All was not lost, they could still win this. They could not back down now.

And then, in the heat of battle, the tide shifted somehow. The eye of Sauron turned its gaze inward and the Nazgûl were flying back, towards the fires of Mount Doom.

Gandalf watched this development in horror, realizing that Sauron had at last sense the Ring. What had happened to Frodo?

Zuko had noticed the change as well, though he did not understand why it was happening. What had called the Nazgûl back and why was the Eye no longer fixed upon them?

But there was little time to ponder on such things since the battle raged on and Zuko had to focus on blasting orcs out of his path. They could not afford to hesitate in their struggle though they all sensed that a significant change had just occurred.

The firebender looked up when he heard Legolas shouting Aragorn's name. Zuko turned his head in time to see that the king had fallen to the ground and was now about to be attacked by a huge troll. The firebender rushed to Aragorn's side but, like Legolas, was hindered by all the soldiers and orcs who were running about. The battle had grown crowded and chaotic and every movement was being restricted.

"Aragorn!"

No one was helping the king. No one could get near him. And Zuko too began shouting his friend's name as he saw that the king could not raise his blade to defend himself from the death blow that was surely coming.

With great effort and still struggling with his aim, Zuko threw a small but quick blast of fire towards the troll that hovered over Aragorn. The small flame hit the creature in the eyes, just in the vulnerable part of its armor and it screamed in agony, stumbling a few steps backward, clutching at its face.

Aragorn looked around, knowing to whom he was indebted but it was too chaotic to see anyone else. He would thank the firebender later. Zuko and Legolas sighed in relief and continued fighting as best as they could, though they were quickly growing exhausted.

Later on, Zuko was able to move closer to Gandalf once more and the wizard managed to introduce him to one of the great eagles. The firebender was allowed to ride on the majestic bird and he had the luxury of blasting fire on large parts of the orc army, just as he had done in Minas Tirith.

It was easier this time, since his mount was easier to control and yet it was also more challenging to aim for merely the orcs since the army of men had mingled so much with the enemy. But Zuko did his best and through his efforts, more orcs fell.

As he flew, the firebender also tried his best to get a glimpse of what was going on in Mordor. But he only saw the Eye, looking towards a large, active volcano, which Zuko presumed to be Mount Doom. He remembered some part of what Frodo's mission was all about and he wondered how it had gone.

He then decided to focus more on the fighting since even if he saw a lot of things happening in Mordor, he was not sure that he would understand what these meant. And from the sky, he could see just how much they were outnumbered by filthy orcs. The firebender used all the energy he had in trying to level the playing field somehow.

Then, a great, shrill shriek pierced the sky and the eye of Sauron was consumed in flames.

Zuko watched in astonishment as the trolls and orcs began to flee from the field in terror, no longer bothering to fight against the allies of Gondor and Rohan. The tide had turned at last.

Flying towards the ground, the firebender tried to find out what had happened. But for some unknown reason, Zuko had a really good feeling about all this, a feeling which was confirmed when he saw the hopeful expressions that lit up Gandalf, Legolas, and Aragorn's faces.

Gases and strange smoke were gathering around the Eye of Sauron as it shook violently under the strain of some unknown pressure. The base of the tower where the Eye hovered began to crumble and the Eye was falling to its doom.

Gandalf and the others watched in joyful tears as the fire of the Eye was finally snuffed out and a large wave of energy spread across the realm of Mordor. The land seemed to be purified after fall of its master.

And though the hordes of orcs fled in terror, the ground on which they stood crumbled beneath them. With screams they descended into a deep chasm, along with all the structures of Mordor, every gate and tower was swallowed up by the abyss.

In the distance, Mount Doom raged and began to crumble as well, with a river of fire spreading from the volcano and drenching the land of Shadow. The remaining Nazgûl were hit during the huge explosion and so fell to their deaths in a sea of burning lava that flowed across the land as if to purge it of all its filth.

Loud cheers were heard from the men of the West as they witnessed their greatest enemy finally vanquished. In spite of injury and exhaustion, they all cried out in victory as the remaining orcs disappeared from the field.

Zuko watched incredulously as Mordor foundered and his heart well up with joy and pride. He had not expected things to end in such a way but he knew enough about Middle-Earth to say that wonders never ceased.

Gandalf called out to one of the eagles and quickly mounted them. Zuko watched in astonishment as the wizard directed his eagle towards Mordor. Gandalf was in a hurry and looked worried in spite of the triumph they had just experienced.

"We must make haste!" the wizard told his eagle as they soared, the other eagles following behind.

The firebender followed and asked where he was going.

"Frodo and Sam," Gandalf replied simply, "they might still be alive."

Zuko remembered then and nodded in understanding. Gandalf instructed him to be on the lookout for two hobbits on the ground.

They flew over the lava-soaked land, and strained their eyes for a glimpse of any survivors. All was covered in liquid fire and smoke rose from the ground. Mordor was completely destroyed.

"There!" Zuko heard Gandalf cry and the firebender followed where the wizard was pointing. True enough, there were two small figures lying on one of the rocks that was not yet covered in lava.

Gandalf's eagle, Gwaihir, descended and took one of the hobbits in his talons while Zuko's eagle took the other one. The firebender checked on the new passenger and saw that Sam was still breathing though he was unconscious. The poor hobbit was dirty and bloody, looking exhausted beyond all reason. And yet, for some strange reason, he had a serene and content expression on his face.

Zuko was glad that they had been able to rescue the two people who were responsible for their great victory.

They then flew out of Mordor and back to safety, where Aragorn and the others were eagerly waiting.

Once they were all together, a louder cheer of victory was heard from the men of Gondor and Rohan. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli had gathered around the figures of Frodo and Sam. Zuko saw tears in the eyes of the remaining members of the Fellowship, as they tended to their dear friends as best as they could.

Soon, they were all making ready to return to Gondor. The sky had grown clear and the sun now shone brightly on them all, and on the future that was now a gift to them.

"Send word to our lands," Eomer commanded one of the heralds, "say that the Shadow has fallen, and that we shall all be returning to Minas Tirith."

The messenger did as he was told and made haste to spread the good tidings. Zuko looked at the sky, shielding his eyes with his hand.

_The Shadow has departed_, he thought, _I think they will know that already._

At the sight of the radiant walls of Minas Tirith, Aragorn and his company could not help but smile. Preparations for their arrival had already been started and there was a festive air around the city.

All the tired warriors heaved sighs of relief and joy. They were home at last, after a very, very long journey.

Some miles from the city, a welcome party had assembled, in order to be the first to greet the victors. Aragorn and his company found themselves surrounded by the first waves of jubilant well-wishers and friends. Loud cheers were heard and songs of victory were sung as the brave men returned home.

The soldiers' loved ones had been summoned to meet them and there they all were, rejoicing not only at the victory but also at seeing their beloved ones safe and sound after the great battle.

Frodo and Sam remained asleep for the duration of the journey back but their wounds had been bandaged and bound and they had been cleaned up. Now that they were near the city, Merry and Pippin ran towards their kinsmen and cried in joy to see that the other two were still alive. The Shire-folk were inseparable after that and Merry and Pippin accompanied their two injured kinsmen all the way to the Houses of Healing.

The Fellowship stayed together as well even if their mission was now officially accomplished. They were reluctant to part although they knew that the time drew near for them to take separate roads. For the bonds of love and friendship that they had established all throughout their long and trying journey were stronger than any on this earth. They all knew that though the time would come for them to return to their own lives or to face new responsibilities, they would always be the closest of companions, bound by this powerful and special connection to one another.

Eomer received with puzzlement the news that his sister had not come to greet him. The king of Rohan wondered what would keep his sister in the city when he knew that she had always been eager to be involved in battle. Initially, he was worried about her but when the other messengers from the city assured him that Eowyn of Rohan was in the best of health and spirits, he let the matter go.

He trusted that Eowyn would have her reasons to stay. She was always full of surprises. Driven by his immense curiosity, Eomer was all the more eager to reach the city and to see his sister. Though he had no idea what it was, he suspected that she would have good news for him.

Zuko smiled as he watched the reunions happening around him. There was happiness at last in the faces of the men who had left the city with only fear and anxiety. He could sense that his own part in the story would soon be over, since the enemy had been vanquished, and yet, he was reluctant to leave that beautiful world now that it had been finally healed.

"Zuko!"

The firebender whirled around only to find arms flung around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. His eyes widened at the sudden contact and then he returned the hug warmly, putting his arms around the teary-eyed waterbender.

This reunion was being watched with amusement by Gandalf and the rest of the fellowship. They were all smiles as they saw the two benders finally come to an understanding. The wizard had long expected this to happen, and had surmised that this bond would form even before he knew the particulars about Zuko and Katara. One glance at them at Ba Sing Se had been enough for him to foresee such a happy outcome.

"I'm so glad you're back," Katara whispered, burying her head in his shoulder.

Zuko smiled, closing his eyes and reveling in that blissful moment.

"I always keep my promises," he replied, holding her tighter, never wanting to let go.

It was Katara's turn to smile. She was so happy to see him, and all the nervousness and uncertainty she had had about this moment instantly vanished.

"In that case," she said, pulling away slightly so that she could face him, she then began poking his shoulder in a mock-scolding manner, "don't ever leave without me again!"

Zuko looked at her in wide eyes, before nodding with a smile. He knew well that there was no point arguing with her.

"I promise," he answered sincerely.

"Good," she replied, smiling with satisfaction.

Then, leaning forward, Zuko and Katara kissed under the sunlit sky.


	12. Epilogue

_Destiny Diverted_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

**NOTE: Now, this is officially the end of the road. All thanks and last messages to follow after the chapter.**

**EPILOGUE**

"Now come the days of the king," Gandalf had said, "may they be blessed."

The crown was laid upon the ranger's head and he became who he was destined to be, the king of Gondor.

"This day does not belong to one man but to all," Aragorn declared, "let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace."

Resounding applause followed these words from all who were present on that momentous occasion. That day all had gathered at Minas Tirith to witness the return of the king and the restoration of peace into a troubled land.

Standing hand in hand, Zuko and Katara attended the ceremony with bright smiles on their faces. The feeling of completion and joy that filled them on that day was such as they had never experienced before.

For they stood in a world that was no longer in turmoil, that had endured many struggles but emerged victorious in the end. And they stood together, bound by a love they had never expected to find but would grow stronger as time passed.

Earlier that week, Zuko and Katara had encountered another happy couple, whom they congratulated wholeheartedly since both were their dear friends.

Faramir and Eowyn were likewise glad to see that the two benders had come together at last and that all was resolved between them.

They were all to witness the reunion of yet another couple, when the Lady Arwen arrived at Aragorn's coronation.

Before this event, Zuko and Katara also made the acquaintance of the two hobbits who had been responsible for the salvation of Middle-Earth. Once Frodo and Sam had significantly recovered from their injuries, they were glad to meet the two young foreigners who had great powers.

Grand celebrations followed all this and merriment was abundant in the stone city. But when the euphoria died down, they all realized that it would soon be time for many partings.

All visitors to Gondor prepared to return to their own lands, the hobbits to the Shire, Eomer and the Rohirrim to Rohan, and so on and so forth. And of course, Zuko and Katara were finally going back to the Four Nations.

The two benders found that though they were eager to return home, they were also reluctant to leave all the friends they had made in Middle-Earth, especially in such a happy time. They had also come to love the land where they had spent so much time and had so many adventures. But they knew that they could not stay there forever.

Their friends were likewise sad to see them go. Aragorn and the rest of the Fellowship, as well as Eowyn and Faramir, so wanted to learn more about the fascinating young strangers and the world they were from. But they understood the need for separation, and so bestowed upon the two benders many grand gifts from armor and weapons to clothing, Elven bread, healing herbs and ointments, and other objects to show their gratitude and affection.

It was Gandalf who told the others to stop giving so many presents. But even then, Zuko and Katara already had a cartload of items to bring back with them.

The two benders expressed their immense gratitude and appreciation for all these gifts, and for all that they had learned during their adventure in Middle-Earth. They would take back with them so many stories to share with their friends and family.

"I'm really going to miss this place," Katara said sadly, "and all the people in it."

Zuko felt the same way but he was also preparing himself for the complications that would arise once they returned to the Avatar and his friends. Already he was anxious about the reception he would have in the group of his former enemy, especially with his newly established relationship with Katara.

"We're going to have a lot of explaining to do when we get back," Zuko said anxiously.

"Don't worry about it," Katara reassured him, "I'll be with you all the way."

"It is time for me to keep my promise to Iroh," Gandalf announced one day, "Zuko and Katara must go home."

All the necessary preparations had already been made but it took some time before Zuko and Katara had properly bid farewell to all their friends. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli had expressed their great regret at seeing them go. Faramir and Eowyn expressed similar sentiments. The hobbits were all so sorry to see their new friends go and were the most vocal about their sentiments on the matter.

Gandalf too was sad, for he had grown extremely fond of the two and they had come to love him too. The old wizard smiled at them affectionately and told them that they would be able to use all they had learned to fix their own problems back in their world.

"Although your world is not as mired in evil and despair as this one had been," the wizard told them, "it is still in need of saving, and you have learned the means by which that can be achieved. With your help and guidance, the Avatar shall be able to fulfill his destiny and bring the peace that your world so desperately needs."

On the day that the portal was to be reopened, many of the benders' friends arrived in order to personally bid them farewell. The Fellowship of the Ring was there as well as Eomer, Eowyn, and Faramir. Some of the healers had also arrived to say good-bye to Katara, who had become a great friend of theirs. And some of the soldiers from both Rohan and Gondor had come as well, out of deference and admiration for Zuko and Katara's help during the war.

"Thank you for everything," Katara and Zuko told all those present there, "we will never forget you."

"Neither will we forget you," Aragorn told them, speaking for the others, "and we shall be eternally indebted to you for the part you played in restoring our world."

"We were happy to help," Katara said with a smile.

"If there is any way that we can repay you, we shall readily do so," Aragorn continued.

Zuko and Katara thanked them but did not answer the king immediately. They considered the offer carefully and looked at Gandalf with a question in their eyes.

"Do you think that you and the Avatar will not be able to handle the situation on your own?" the wizard asked them slyly, giving them a very serious look.

"Not exactly," Katara conceded.

"But it really would be a big help if some of you could come along," Zuko added hopefully.

All eyes were now on the white wizard but the expression on his face was non-committal.

"Who can move from world to world is not under my control," Gandalf said simply.

Zuko and Katara sighed and then shrugged. It had been worth a try.

They waved good-bye once more to their friends who were there, and the portal soon appeared before them. Already they could see the figures of Iroh, Aang, Toph, and Sokka waiting eagerly on the other side.

Before going in, however, the two benders gave Gandalf some warm hugs. The old man smiled as he let them go.

"But wait a minute," Zuko realized before stepping into the portal, "you can travel between worlds, right? And you've done it before."

"Why don't you come with us, Gandalf?" Katara asked eagerly, and everyone suddenly turned their attention to the white wizard.

He furrowed his brows pensively for a time before he answered.

"Do you think I spend all my time shuffling from one world to another?" he asked them, "but perhaps, when all is settled here, I might have some time to spare."

For he knew that his time on Middle-Earth was coming to an end. He had been an enemy of Sauron and now the Dark Lord was no more. Perhaps there would be an opportunity for something before he took the last ship to the Grey Havens. Perhaps. There was a world of possibility.

Zuko and Katara looked thrilled at the prospect and expressed their great excitement for having Gandalf help Aang restore balance to the world.

"No, no," Gandalf said, "if your world is to be saved, it will be by your efforts alone, and not through the interference of a tired old man from another world."

"We know that," Zuko answered, "and we don't want to have to rely on someone else to fulfill our own destinies."

"But we will be really happy to see you again," Katara told the old man.

"I can make no guarantees at this point," the wizard warned them, "except that if you don't go now, the portal will be closed forever. So off with you!"

He gave them a small shove and Zuko and Katara found themselves standing in front of their astonished friends and family. They looked behind them to see their friends in Middle-Earth waving good-bye for a brief moment, and then the portal disappeared completely.

"But you would do well to remember this," they heard Gandalf's voice echo beyond the portal.

"Destiny is a funny thing."

_-FIN-_

_**The die is cast. I can sleep at last.**_

_**A big THANK YOU to all my readers! I'm so glad that you took a chance on this wild, silly crossover of mine and I'm thrilled to have found fans of both my favorite series.**_

_**Although my journey was not as epic as either "Avatar" or "The Lord of the Rings", this was a fun and tiring project. I'm a little sad that it's over but I'm also relieved. Now, I can move on with my life (and focus more on my studies!)**_

_**No sequel to this one. I'm sure of that.**_

_**Thanks to the person who added this to the Greatest Crossover Fiction C2. I'm flattered.**_

_**Thank you to all those who added this to their list of Favorites: Aralys, Crazy-Psycho-Anime-Lover, DorySquishy, gunitatsuhiko, KipaZen, Lozzien Lavender, Mashy-Gaara4life, Nessa Telemnar, Rya Three Saber, and Writer of the Revolution.**_

_**Thank you to everyone who waited patiently for updates and added this to their Story Alert list. You shall wait no longer: AnimeIceFox, Aralys, BrokenAvenger21, Derra, , Elevanya, Fyre Flye619, gunitatsuhiko, Kaydreams, kraken5, Larrasss, Luiz4200, Moon Mage Goddess, nannals, reader13lovesbooks, Rugglet, Shadow Zeranion, taterbug0491, Tervuren, and The-piro-16.**_

_**And a huge thank you to all those who took the time to review every chapter. Without your feedback and support, I would not have found the drive to finish this so quickly: Aralys, Mashy-Gaara4life, AnimeIceFox, Kesshichan, FireChildSlytherin5, TPOC1, DorySquishy, WriteroftheRevolution, Kaydreams, kraken5, Thirteen, and gunitatsuhiko.**_

_**Special thanks to NorthernLights25 and Luiz4200 who reviewed every chapter and who have been with me for years, since my first Zutara stories. Thanks for your continued support!**_

_**Sorry if I misspelled any names or if I missed anyone! I'm still grateful!**_

_**This is my last long, multi-chapter Zutara story, I'm afraid. As I said before, I have studies to attend to, and frankly, I'm out of ideas for any long stories (which is a relief to me because I can finally sleep more).**_

_**But I will still be writing, as I have said before, for this year's Zutara week – July 26-August 1. Don't expect anything from me until then, though, since I'm still brainstorming on what to post.**_

_**Beyond Zutara week is a land unknown to me (at least in terms of Avatar/Zutara fanfic writing). I plan to finish up my long-neglected Escaflowne stories as well as post a Jane and the Dragon story that has been nagging me to be written for quite some time. But, we'll see.**_

_**And I hope that all those who read this story even after this enjoy it in all its crazy glory. If you can, please leave a review, as well. I assure you, every little word you leave is much appreciated by this sleep-deprived author.**_

_**Thank you so much again for taking this journey with me!**_


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